“Unless you tackle a problem that’s already solved, which is boring, or one whose solution is clear from the beginning, mostly you are stuck. But Zhang is willing to be stuck much longer.”
I remember sharing this article on Facebook, a story of how a part-time calculus teacher at University of New Hampshire, Yitang Zhang, managed to solve a math problem that had been open for more than a hundred and fifty years. I added the caption: “Again, perseverance wins.”
I think perseverance is what got him through the metaphorical door and eventually solved the problem.
It rings true to me because I am a big believer of perseverance. I live and breathe the philosophy that perseverance is a key trait in life and an ingredient of success. It has brought me to where I am and helped me through several obstacles in life.
Unfortunately, life is not linear. Not all life difficulties can be solved by sticking with it a little bit longer. No is sometimes just a No and not an invitation nor challenge to change it into a Yes. Knowing when to let go is as important.
When I found myself focusing too much on the efforts and lose sight of the goal, when I am not giving up for the sake of not giving up — not for the benefits it brings — that is no longer perseverance, it’s just me being stubborn.
