The best way to ensure success, is to not quit. It's a simple statement, but why do people and businesses fail? There are several reasons, but many times failure can be linked directly to the lack of solid goals and commitment to goals.

You see, to get where you want to go, you first need to decide on the destination, Many people underestimate the need for goals in their lives, Others confuse goal setting with wishing or dreaming about the future.

In spiritual terms, the word sin is an Aramaic term. It means to miss the target or miss the mark. If you don't set your own goals, your target is not in sight and impossible to hit. If you don't set goals, you don't have a target.

The goals have to be your goals. Not desires given to you by a spouse or business partner. Your goals must incorporate what is really important to you. Your goals must be specific and measurable. Your goals must be challenging and exciting, but realistic. Your goals need to be consistent with your morals, and belief system. When your goals meet all these tests, you will be able to take ownership of them. When they are yours, you will feel the passion for them from within, and it is through that passion that you will be able to unleash the power of persistence.

Don't ever discount the power of persistence. People who don't give up seldom fail in the long haul. A big shot is a little shot that just keeps shooting. Their passion leads them to convince others to share their vision, and help them achieve their goals.

Calvin Coolidge, the 30Th President of the United States of America, had this to say about persistence: "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent The slogan Press on has solved, and always will solve, the problems of the human race".

Do passionate people with solid goals loose battles? Sure they do. Like they say, bad things happen to good people. The bad things that happen to people without goals happen to those with solid goals. The real difference is not what battles they loose, but what people do about the challenges they are faced with. Being committed to your goals allows you to move forward when you encounter setbacks. Think of setbacks as road blocks, streets that don't go through. You may need to take a detour to reach your destination. If your road does not cross the river, you may need to go downstream or upstream several miles to find a bridge. Your goals must have the flexibility to take the detour.

When you are starting a small business, everyone seems bigger and more successful than you. Don't let that psych you out. Use it to fuel your persistence. If they can do it, you can do it. Look at others who found success after failure because they were persistent, and gain power from knowing it can be done.

Thomas Edison perfected the filament light bulb after many failed experiments. He felt his loss of hearing was an advantage since it was easier to concentrate without being distracted by noise and chatter. He often worked over 100 hours a week. One of his favorite sayings was "Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration."

Howard Schultz eventually became the Chairman of Starbucks. Years earlier he failed to get hired by the coffee company because interviewers felt he was too enthusiastic. He eventually took a company selling bags of coffee from a handful of locations into a huge chain of destination coffee houses where people socialize and drink brewed coffee.

Jim Clark founded Netscape. When he was a child, his mother was called to his school and his teacher informed her that her son was not capable of learning.

Conrad Hilton saved up $50,000 to buy a bank in Texas.. He was distraught after the banker increased the price beyond what Hilton could afford. He returned to the hotel he was staying at to think things out. Too depressed to go to his room, he sat in the lobby where he could see the flow of guests checking in and out. Today, major cities around the world have Hilton hotels.

Successful people and businesses have goals. Goal ownership and commitment to goals fuels passion. It is that passion that powers the persistence to plow through the setbacks, and navigate around the road blocks we encounter en-route to our destination. Never underestimate the power of persistence.

Dean Marino is now a full time Internet entrepreneur, author, and sales consultant, after 22 years in the auto finance business. He has traveled extensively and has aligned himself with the Coastal Vacations Club after an exhaustive search. He hosts live conference calls several times a week for the Coastal Vacations Sales Center, and was chosen to help train that group's membership because of his knowledge, and enthusiasm. Some members say they feel his sincerity and enthusiasm jump through the phone at them. Learn more at http://www.deanmarino.com.