Definition: a steady will to complete a task in spite of any obstacles before you.


Perseverance is a trait many find inspirational. When anyone hears of someone doing something amazing like Lance Armstrong winning the Tour de France an incredible seven consecutive times after battling cancer, it’s hard not to feel fired up. Many people feel that only the most amazing person is capable of persevering, but the fact is, all you need is patience.

  • When Helen Keller was a baby, she contracted a serious illness which ultimately left her deaf and blind.
  • In Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, Brian Robeson is left stranded in the wilderness after the pilot of his small aircraft has a heart attack and crashes the plane.

Both of these people used patience and perseverance to become heroes and better versions of themselves. They never gave up.

  • Helen Keller became the first deaf/blind person to earn a Bachelor’s degree, which wouldn’t have happened if she had given up.
  • And Brian Robeson survived fifty-four days of being all by himself in the Canadian wilderness. He would’ve died if not for his ability to persevere.

Either of these people could have given up. But they didn’t. The most amazing thing about Helen Keller, Brian Robeson, and many others is that they were ordinary people who did something extraordinary. They actively chose to move past their obstacles instead of letting their troubles get the best of them.

Why is perseverance an important heroic trait?

What are some ways that everyday people carry on and persevere?

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