Sticktoitiveness - for the long haul

Now here is a person who has the longest record of sticktoitiveness of everyone I've spoken to.
Author Myra Johnson, tell me how you feel about it.
Myra Johnson:Considering it took me 25 years and over 200 book manuscript rejections before I received my first contract offer for a novel, I'd say I've got sticktoitiveness! When you want something badly enough, you do whatever it takes. You learn and adapt and just keep working. And praying. That's not to say it's easy. Giving up can be so, so tempting. And believe me, I considered giving up many, many times over those 25 years. But obviously my sticktoitiveness paid off, because as of today I have three novels in print and another releasing later this year.

Nowadays, the need for sticktoitiveness comes in other forms. Drafting a detailed proposal when I still don't have a fully formed story idea. Working through pages and pages of editorial revisions. The business of marketing/PR that falls more and more upon an author's shoulders. Because I work at home, people tend to think I'm readily available for their agendas, so the only way to stay on track is to commit to regular "office hours" and insist that others respect my time.

And it doesn't hurt to hold out a "carrot" or two as a reward for getting the work done. Lunch with a friend, a trip to the mall, a chocolate truffle or two, a movie date with my husband . . . you get the idea!

Wow... 25 years. I can't compare to that, but you certainly did get results!
I invite everyone to check out Myra Johnson's book at www.myrajohnson.com and see the great results of sticking to it.
And this brings me to my thought/question of the day. What's the longest you've ever stuck to something, and how did you do it?