persevere | pərsəˈvir
continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success
Americans aren’t wired—maybe not trained—to persevere. We want things now.
Immediate gratification. Instant. Drive-thru style. Fast food.
To persevere is a mindset. It’s seeing success when it doesn’t seem imminent. There’s a reason NASA named its Mars rover “Perseverance.” The 7th-grader from Virginia who won the naming contest for Perseverance talks about adapting and persevering through setbacks in why he chose the name.
“We … will not give up,” he says.
Maybe you’re like me. Over the last few months, I’ve had some professional setbacks. Actually, I’m sure you’re like me.
Honestly, it’s been humbling and really discouraging. You know the feeling, right?
Yet I also know one thing to be true: I can persevere.
I’ve done it before. You’ve done it before, right?
And don’t you remember how the success of perseverance tastes sweeter than anything and erases the bitterness of setbacks?
After all, more than a decade after starting the project, Perseverance sends back to Earth stunning photos of Mars.