In my life, I’ve made it a practice to study the lives of successful people. I clip articles, read biographies, and watch documentaries of their lives. All the while, I ask the question: What separates those who achieve excellence from the rest? As often as not, the answer I find is simply this – history is made by those who don’t quit.

Abraham Lincoln would have been just a footnote, an also-ran, had he not sought the presidency after being defeated in seven elections. Thomas Edison worked relentlessly to perfect the light bulb after years of countless failed experiments.

So what motivates someone to sweat it out and continue pursuing excellence long after others have let failures stop them? Obviously, it’s not a function of smarts, education or economic background. For both Lincoln and Edison were mostly self-taught men from modest backgrounds who probably wouldn’t have considered themselves of above-average intelligence. As a matter of fact, Edison himself made this simple observation that sums up his life’s philosophy: “Genius is one-percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

I believe that what separates high achievers from the also-rans is intention – clear intention. Intention is the drive, the persistence, the willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed, no matter how often you fail. It’s what distinguishes the mega-producing agents we interviewed for The Millionaire Real Estate Agent from those who settle for what’s acceptable and easy to attain. We found that these history-making mega agents have a clear vision of the finish line and drive toward it with intention. These agents went on listing appointments intending to get the listing. They marketed for business expecting people to call. And, when they talked to those callers, they intended to get an appointment. They had the same level of high expectations (intention) when they hired people on their team. They expected their team members to succeed and held them accountable to measurable outcomes.

Intention is what drives these mega agents to attain a level of excellence that people often dub “genius.” But it’s really their laser focus on achieving their goals – that “ninety-nine percent perspiration” – that keeps them going after they’ve experienced a series of setbacks. You see, most high-achievers in any field do not view failures as signs that they should give up. Rather, they see failures as signposts that point them in the direction they need to follow in order to make their big goals a reality.

We wrote about the power of focusing on big goals and following big models. Well, what we know now, is that it’s intention that keeps you thinking big after you’ve run into obstacles. And thinking big is about being on the path of intentional success. Intention helps you clarify your goals and narrow your focus on the twenty percent necessary to achieve them because the path to excellence is a narrow one. Without intention, big goals are just big wishes and achieving them is just wishful thinking. Without intention, big models are just day-to-day suggestions.

Of course, the path to excellence isn't easy. But it’s simple when your intention is clear. And I know you will have a life-altering experience when you establish big goals and follow big models that are powered by intention. When you move toward the direction of your goals with clear intention, you’re on your way to making history.