In a world that often glorifies instant success and overnight fame, it’s easy to overlook the true engine of achievement: persistence. Behind every breakthrough, every championship, every headline-grabbing moment of glory lies a story woven with struggle, rejection, delay, and perseverance. “Go and Get It” isn’t just a motivational catchphrase—it’s a declaration of purpose, a rallying cry for those who understand that dreams aren’t given, they’re earned. At the heart of every achievement is persistence, the quiet force that keeps people moving long after the applause has faded.
What Is Persistence, Really?
Persistence is more than just trying again. It’s the unwavering belief that what you’re aiming for is worth the hardship. It’s refusing to let obstacles define your story. It’s failing and rising, over and over, with grit in your soul and fire in your heart.
Unlike talent, which may be innate, persistence is a decision. Every single day, the decision to keep showing up must be made—through tired eyes, aching limbs, broken hearts, and uncertain futures. Whether you’re a student, an entrepreneur, an athlete, or someone trying to rebuild a life, persistence is the common denominator of those who make it.
The Myth of Overnight Success
Social media often distorts reality. Scrolling through a feed filled with highlight reels can make others’ achievements appear effortless. But every “overnight” success has a backstory riddled with failures and long nights.
Take Michael Jordan, who was cut from his high school varsity basketball team. Instead of quitting, he used that rejection as fuel. Or J.K. Rowling, who faced twelve rejections from publishers before Harry Potter became a global phenomenon. These are not stories of luck; they are stories of grit. They are proof that persistence doesn’t guarantee immediate success, but it does guarantee progress.
Persistence in the Face of Adversity
What makes persistence powerful is its stubbornness in the face of adversity. Adversity can be personal—losing a loved one, battling illness—or professional—rejection, demotion, or financial hardship. In these moments, persistence isn’t just a virtue; it becomes a lifeline.
Consider Thomas Edison, who reportedly tested over 1,000 prototypes before inventing the light bulb. When asked if he was discouraged by his failures, he famously replied, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 1,000 ways that won’t work.” That mindset is the very essence of persistence: redefining failure not as defeat but as a step forward.
Athletics: The Ultimate Arena for Persistence
Few realms showcase persistence more dramatically than sports. Athletes train for years—decades even—for the chance to compete at the highest levels. Their lives are built around repetition, recovery, and the pursuit of marginal gains.
Think about marathon runners. They train through rain, heat, and fatigue, pushing their bodies to the edge. Each step is a test of resolve. Or football players recovering from ACL tears who endure grueling rehab for the shot to return to form. Their victories are not just physical—they’re mental. Their trophies are won in the silence of the gym, on lonely morning runs, and in battles no one ever sees.
Look at tennis legend Serena Williams. Her journey was filled with critics, injuries, and fierce competition. Yet her consistency, discipline, and refusal to back down transformed her into one of the greatest athletes in history. The same could be said of Kobe Bryant, whose “Mamba Mentality” became a global symbol of persistence and obsession with self-improvement.
“Go and Get It” in Everyday Life
Persistence isn’t reserved for public figures or elite performers. Every person has a mountain they’re climbing.
- The single mother working two jobs while attending night classes is persistent.
- The recent graduate sending out resumes daily in a brutal job market is persistent.
- The small business owner who survives economic downturns and starts from scratch after each setback is persistent.
Ordinary people doing extraordinary things through sheer willpower—that’s where the power of persistence truly lies.
Even in relationships, persistence matters. Maintaining deep, lasting connections requires effort, communication, and forgiveness. In parenting, it means showing up with love and guidance, even on the hardest days. Persistence is about continuing to care, continuing to try, continuing to show up.
Mindset: The Foundation of Persistence
What allows someone to persist while others give up? The answer lies largely in mindset.
Psychologist Carol Dweck popularized the concept of a growth mindset—the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort. People with growth mindsets view challenges as opportunities. They don’t fear failure because they understand that it’s not a final verdict, but part of the journey.
A fixed mindset says, “I failed, therefore I’m not good enough.”
A persistent mindset says, “I failed, so now I know what to do differently next time.”
The key is resilience. When you’re resilient, you’re able to bounce back, reframe failure, and keep striving toward the goal. It’s not that persistent people don’t feel fear or doubt—they do. They simply don’t allow it to stop them.
Habits That Build Persistence
Persistence isn’t an accident. It’s built through intentional habits:
- Goal Setting: Clear, meaningful goals provide direction and motivation.
- Routine: Consistent routines reduce friction and increase discipline.
- Self-Reflection: Regularly evaluating your progress keeps you aligned and focused.
- Adaptability: Persistence doesn’t mean stubbornly clinging to failing methods. It means adjusting strategies when necessary without abandoning the mission.
- Support Systems: Having people who believe in you—mentors, friends, coaches—can provide the emotional fuel to keep going.
The Cost of Giving Up
Quitting is easy in the short term. It relieves pressure and removes uncertainty. But what’s the long-term cost? Regret. The haunting question of what might have been.
Think of the dreams left unfulfilled not because they were impossible, but because someone gave up too soon. The novel never written. The business never launched. The degree never completed. These aren’t failures of talent—they’re failures of persistence.
Of course, there are times when letting go is the right decision. Not all pursuits are meant to last forever. But even in those moments, what matters is the persistence you showed until that point—because effort always teaches us something.
Persistence in the Age of Distraction
We live in a culture of immediate gratification. If a website takes more than three seconds to load, we click away. We want answers now, results now, success now.
But persistence resists that impulse. It embraces delayed gratification. It requires the courage to keep working when the reward is months—or years—away. In a world wired for distraction, persistence demands focus. It means saying no to the easy out and yes to the long haul.
A Personal Challenge: Go and Get It
What do you want?
That’s not a rhetorical question. What do you really want?
Now ask yourself this: Are you willing to be persistent enough to get it? Are you willing to outlast doubt, silence the inner critic, and push forward even when no one’s watching?
The power of persistence lies not just in what it helps you accomplish, but in who you become along the way. It builds confidence. It builds character. It transforms uncertainty into mastery, confusion into clarity, and hope into action.