Some people quit when things get hard. Others push forward. That difference—between giving up and grinding through—is where success is built. Tenacity is the ability to endure, persist, and keep moving forward, even when the road gets rough. It’s a virtue I came to respect during my 26 years in prison, and it’s a virtue I continue to apply today.
Lately, I’ve been working on a technical project—fine-tuning a GPT model. On the surface, it seemed straightforward: follow the steps, enter a few commands, and get results. But, as with many things in life, it wasn’t that simple. There were errors, setbacks, and unexpected challenges. Each time I thought we had moved forward, another roadblock emerged. The process stretched longer than expected, testing patience and problem-solving skills.
In moments like these, I think back to the lessons of tenacity I learned from great leaders. Nelson Mandela, who endured 27 years in prison before leading his nation. Viktor Frankl, who survived the Holocaust and emerged with a deep understanding of human resilience. Thomas Edison, who famously failed thousands of times before perfecting the light bulb.
What if they had quit?
They didn’t. They endured. They saw failure not as a sign to stop, but as a signal to adjust and continue.
That’s the mindset I take into every project, whether it’s building a business, developing educational programs, or navigating the complexities of technology. And it’s the same mindset anyone can adopt. Tenacity is not about avoiding failure; it’s about embracing it as part of the journey.
We all encounter moments of frustration. Maybe it’s a legal battle, a personal struggle, or a technical project that just won’t cooperate. The easy path is to walk away. But those who stay in the fight, those who persist, those who refuse to accept defeat—they ultimately succeed.
A Self-Directed Question:
- Think about a challenge you’ve faced. Did you persist, or did you step back? What would happen if you applied tenacity to your current struggles?
- How could persistence reshape your future?
