ABSTRACT
Setting goals and dreams is one thing; having the endurance to reach them is quite another. Students can become distracted by other interests, experience a setback in their progress toward the greater goal, or even tire of the commitment needed to see further growth. But what is necessary to keep students focused on and determined to reach personal goals? Tenacity—the ability to hold fast to something, to be persistent, not easily dispelled or relinquished. Children regularly hear encouraging messages about attaining goals: Think positive! If readers can dream it they can do it! Never let go of their dreams! Contrary to popular belief, this thinking alone can backfire. Oettingen studied the negative effects of positive thinking in hundreds of cases with consistent results. Her work showed that dieters gain more weight when they think positively about their future skinny selves, and test-takers perform worse when they envision successful performance.
