Goal-directed persistence is the capacity or drive to follow through to the completion of a goal and not to be put off by other demands or competing interests.
When a person has difficulties with goal-directed persistence, it may be hard to:
complete a homework assignment
finish a chore
read a novel
start a task
stick with a task that is boring (to the person)
get back to a task if interrupted
delay gratification (save money over a period of time for something specific)