Why Determination Is The Key To Success + 7 Secrets To Master It

The road to success is bumpy and filled with unexpected plot twists. Staying on it requires a high tolerance to discomfort and some immunity to failure. What is the quality that arms you with these characteristics? Determination, of course!

A lot of people would argue that determination is the key to success. Let’s put that to the test. Remind yourself of one time you managed to achieve an important personal goal. What carried you along the way? What persuaded you to persist through difficulties even when the odds weren’t in your favor? I bet determination is your answer.

In this article, we will explore the meaning of determination and its importance for success and reveal ways to cultivate more determination in your life. Are you ready to inch closer to your goals? Let’s go!

What Is Determination and Why Is it Important?

Before moving on, let’s define determination: Determination is the decidedness to persist towards a goal, tackling challenges and not allowing them to derail you. 

Without determination, you are more likely to get distracted from your goal, disheartened by the difficulty, doubt your competence, and give up. In other words, determination is knowing what you want and doing everything in your power to get it.

According to psychologist Angela Duckworth, determination is a key ingredient of perseverance, which, blended with passion, creates grit, the one-ticket way to success.

What Is Self-Determination Theory?

The self-determination theory has been researched and elaborated throughout decades by psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan. It is a theory about human motivation and personality, studying how our environment and our interactions with it can shape them.

They argue that people are naturally inclined towards growth and development, which can be promoted or undermined by social context. They have also concluded that humans have three basic psychological needs:

• Autonomy: The need to feel in control of one’s own actions and choices.
• Competence: The need to feel capable and effective in one’s interactions with the environment.
• Relatedness: The need to feel connected to others, to care for and be cared for by them.

If these three needs are met, the individual has higher motivation and greater engagement. On the contrary, when they are not satisfied, the individual’s well-being can be compromised.

Finally, they have pinpointed the different types of motivation, which include:

• Intrinsic Motivation: Engaging in an activity for the sheer enjoyment or satisfaction it brings.
• Extrinsic Motivation: Engaging in an activity for external rewards or to avoid punishment.
  • External Regulation: Motivation driven by external rewards or pressures.
  • Introjected Regulation: Motivation driven by internal pressures, such as guilt or ego enhancement.
  • Identified Regulation: Motivation driven by personal goals or values.
  • Integrated Regulation: Motivation driven by fully assimilating the activity into one’s sense of self.

The more integrated or internalized the extrinsic motivation, the more autonomous the person will be. This highlights the importance of using intrinsic motivation to drive our efforts, as it is less likely to run dry.

So, the self-determination theory doesn’t really talk much about determination itself but the conditions that facilitate motivation. Even so, I think it is important to keep in mind the fundamental needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Feeling supported by your environment can indeed make a big difference in achieving your goals.

Pairing determination with internally driven motivation can be a powerhouse combination for propelling us toward success!

Why Is Determination Key to Success?

Goals are never achieved by chance. Even the luckiest people in the world (if you believe in luck, that is) cannot be simply handed what they desire without striving for it. There needs to be intentional effort fueled by determination and powered by self-discipline.

Let’s examine why determination is the key to success:

Determination Can Help You Stay Committed

Unmet expectations, impatience, distracting situations, and luring alternatives can derail you from your path. Determination can help you overlook the immediate gratification and reserve your faith in your original purpose. It can help you stay committed to your plans!

Determination Can Help You Overcome Challenges

The most common misunderstanding about success is that it can be achieved in a predictable way. However, life has shown that not all times A and B lead to C. Even when doing your best, unexpected obstacles may arise, forcing you to recalculate and adjust your efforts.

In those vulnerable moments of being beaten down, admitting defeat seems like a sweet relief. This is where determination will be your most valuable ally. Paired with resilience, it will allow you to remain hopeful and persistent in the face of challenges.

Determination Can Help You Improve

Bypassing obstacles requires knowledge and skills. Sometimes, you need to become better in order to make progress. In this indirect way, determination towards your goal will help you grow and evolve as a human being.

Determination Will Allow You To Overlook Unhelpful Criticism

If we stopped trying each time we heard a negative comment or were told we were not good enough, we would have never achieved anything in our lives. Determination gives you confidence in your powers and faith in your purpose, even if no one is rooting for you. You will not need external validation and support if you provide these things for yourself. 

How to Build Stronger Determination

Now that we have established that determination is the key to success; let’s explore how we can cultivate more of it in our lives.

1. Set Your Eyes on the Prize but also Enjoy the Process

The road to success is long, so keeping in frequent touch with your goals can refresh your sense of determination. I like to make mood boards out of pictures that remind me what success looks like to me. Another way is to do visualizations, trying to put yourself in the mentality and emotional state of a future version of yourself who has achieved what you are striving for now.

However, it is equally important to make the process enjoyable. There is no reason to be miserable trying to achieve your goals because no one can guarantee success will make up for it. If you are having fun and genuinely like what you’re doing, you are more likely to have high determination.

2. Define Your Purpose

Our purpose is like the fire that fuels our actions. When you lose your determination, recall your “why.” What made you jump into this sea in the first place? What significance does this achievement hold for yourself and your future? Your purpose will be your moral support along the way. 

3. Set SMART Goals

What is better to climb, a steep slope or a friendly staircase? I bet the second. When goals seem unachievable, our resolve will dissolve. However, there is a science-back technique for setting goals that are meant to be smashed, and it can be summarized with the SMART acronym.

Before setting a goal, you should ensure it is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. More on that in this article.

4. Practice Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is the power that will keep you committed to your goals even when you feel no motivation at all. Practicing self-discipline is a powerful tool that will ensure you make even the tiniest of progress every single day.

5. Keep Yourself Accountable

Have you ever noticed it is easier to keep commitments to others than to yourself? That is because we are subconsciously aware there is no one to keep us accountable for not coming through with our promises.

To avoid this, make sure to keep yourself accountable by sharing your progress with others. You can do any activity with a friend to keep each other in check, make group chats where each friend shares one daily step they take towards their goals, or share your journey on social media – if that’s your kind of thing.

However, I advise you to share your progress with supportive and non-judgmental people who can make the process enjoyable.

6. Reframe Your Mindset Around Failure

The truth is we take failure too seriously. Why? Because we link the outcomes of our actions with our personal worth. Instead of just being a bit sad about not making things work, we feel like a failure – we take things personally.

Former NASA engineer turned Youtuber Mark Rober did a 2018 TED Talk on a phenomenon he called the “Super Mario effect.” He has previously conducted an experiment with his followers, showing that when we have something to lose – and therefore fail harder – we are less likely to try.

He proposes that the key to success is to “gamify” the process and to mimic the famous Super Mario game. This means focusing on the long-term outcome, not the pitfalls, viewing each failure as a learning opportunity, and making it fun and enjoyable.    

7. Have a Supportive Network

No matter how determined we are, there come times when we have lost faith in our power to go on. This is when you need a net of supportive people to fall on. Share your progress and pitfalls with the cheerleaders in your life and let them provide a fresh perspective, boost your confidence, or simply tell you you’re doing incredible.

If you want to find more strategies to bulk your determination muscle, check out this encouraging article with tips on success and self-determination, written by students with disabilities at the University of Washington.

Determination is the Key to Success: a Conclusion

Determination is about consistently doing your best, having faith in your ability to succeed, and staying committed to your purpose. Determined people are not persevering only when things go well. They are goal-oriented, and their actions are detached from the short-term outcome.

Partnered with other important characteristics, like resilience, determination is the key to success and happiness. So, what say you? In your opinion, is determination the key to success?

Whatever your goals may be, start acting on them today! I am rooting for you!