I get a little frustrated when I see self-help gurus proclaim that all you need in order to succeed is enough willpower. That’s a one-dimensional view of human nature that almost always ends in frustration, burnout, and disappointment.

Humans are complex, multi-faceted beings, and there’s no “one thing” that will solve all your problems. There might be one thing you need to focus on today, or one thing that will get the ball rolling, but any meaningful success will require many things working well across a number of areas of your life.

Willpower is like the starter of a car. Without willpower, you can’t initiate motion. However, a starter is not enough to sustain a long-term journey toward your goals. You’ll need all sorts of tools in your belt—from clarity and consistency to energy and motivation. It’s only when you put all these things together that the real magic of sustainable change can happen in your life.

6 Tools for Initiating and Sustaining Success

I have found some valuable things that propel me and others toward their own definitions of success.

1. Clarify Your Goals

We often don’t spend enough time thinking about what we’re trying to accomplish and where we hope it will take us. We trail along with the crowd and follow the same playbook that everyone else seems to be using. But progress in the wrong direction equates to no progress at all. Setting aside time to gain clarity about what you are pursuing is the foundation of achieving meaningful goals.

2. Consistent Habits

Willpower is a great jumpstart, but how many people can sustain years-long flossing habits through willpower alone? Who has that much willpower or wants to use it on something as small as flossing? The key is to develop little rituals and habits that you find satisfying. I won’t go so far as to say that you have to enjoy them, but there should be some aspect of the order or the process that you find rewarding.

3. Time Management

Taking action is an admirable quality, but there are so many good things you could take action on, and at some point, the more important question might be what you’re not going to do. Distractions can take the form of screens or leisure, but they can also sneak in through other pursuits that aren’t quite as important to you, but easier. To succeed in any arena, you have to possess the ability to rise above your immediate desires and manage your attention well.

4. Resilience to Struggles

I have had many goals derailed at the early signs of struggle, or when my initial progress stalled out. This effect has been so predictable that I now include some thoughts on how I will respond to those adversities as part of my planning process. Tending to these possibilities in advance makes it easier to stay committed. Willpower can help in these situations, but sometimes they can last a long time, and you need a source of energy that burns less quickly. Learning to stick with decisions you’ve previously made is a huge component of resilience and a key to any successful endeavor.

5. Ability to Regulate Your Emotions

Willpower is an emotionally demanding resource as it often requires you to pump yourself up, push through a difficult period, and use up a lot of emotional energy. I’ve noticed that after using willpower to push through something, I often have an emotional crash. This tradeoff might be just what you need, but it’s a volatile strategy and not sustainable. Long-term success requires the ability to manage your emotions and keep them more stable. That means not letting your highs be too high or your lows get too low.

6. Enjoy the Day-to-Day Process

I’ve saved what is perhaps my most important point for last. From afar, successful people seem like they must possess superhuman skills, energy, or willpower. However, up close, I’ve found that one of the defining traits of successful people is that they simply enjoy what they’re doing—often far more than the average person.

For example, I’ve seen many people get into writing online for the purpose of making money. These people inevitably fade from view while those who enjoy the writing for its own sake and pursue it long-term develop a profitable following.

Find that thing in your life—the thing that feels like play to you but works to others—and you'll go far.