If you look around for answers to this question, you'll likely get the same response over and over: choose the right goal, break your goal into small steps, be consistent with taking action.

But here's something that no one talks about, which is equally as important: be willing to make mistakes.

Be willing to try things that are new, and therefore, might be uncomfortable.

Be willing to sit with that discomfort, which might come in the form of embarrassment, confusion, disappointment, frustration, anger, and apathy.

Be willing to reflect on your choices, learn from your mistakes, and pivot to new paths if needed.

Willingness is the unspoken secret to success. In my experience, it's also the barrier that is likely standing between you and the things that matter to you. Without willingness, all of the strategy, planning, and execution is meaningless. You'll never feel ready to get started or prepared enough to get through the first hurdle.

Planning on how to achieve your goals is often the easy part. Being willing to embrace the discomfort that comes when you follow through with those plans — that's the hard part.

Just to make this even more challenging, as you progress towards your goals, your tolerance of discomfort needs to increase proportionally, too. You never 'get' comfortable; you simply get comfortable with more and more discomfort.

That's why we need to learn to view willingness as a skill, something we can practice and can get better at.

Here's one of my favorite tactics to help you get started.

The next time you're feeling uncomfortable, stuck, or like you want to quit, that's a sign you need to harness your willingness. Say this mantra to yourself: "To move closer to what matters to me, I am willing to sit here in this discomfort, knowing that it will not last forever."