The first time I saw Bonnie Raitt in concert was in 1973.

It wasn’t until 1990–nearly 20 years into her career–that she won her first Grammy for Nick of Time. 

Bonnie Raitt epitomizes the Blues. But she’s also the epitome of perseverance. Bonnie Raitt worked her craft and doggedly pursued what she loved without reward or recognition.

Resilience and perseverance mean delaying easy gratification for long-term success or satisfaction, sticking with something difficult, and making meaning out of obstacles.

Perseverance is vital, not just for success or winning a Grammy, but for learning.

Every challenge you face is an opportunity to learn something new. But for that to occur, you need perseverance. Otherwise, you’ll get discouraged, give up, and fail to see that the obstacle is the way. 

Carol Dweck calls this a growth mindset. And it means knowing that no matter the obstacle, you will learn and grow from every challenge. As one of our Leaderlab participants said, As long as you’re learning, you’re winning.

Joseph Campbell, in The Hero with A Thousand Faces, writes that “the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek. Every challenge you encounter has your name on it: the person who drives you crazy, the issue that ties you up in knots, the bad mood that defeats you before you even get out of bed, the boss who makes you tongue-tied, they’re there to bring out the best in you. When you have perseverance, when you lean into your growth mindset, you can embrace the challenge, knowing that within it lurks the very next and needed step in your development.