Before we get too far into today’s Point, I want to point out that today is the last day to register for our upcoming Social Media Conference. If you’re looking for ways to improve your business presence, monetize your media activity and effectively communicate with customers, you should join us on Thursday (October 29) from 7:30 a.m. to noon at Samford University. You’ll leave with a better understanding of social media’s growing importance. Guaranteed. (There’s more info at the end of this Point.)

Now, let’s get to it. Recently I gave a talk to a group, and after I wrapped it up, someone asked me if we all could discuss another topic while I was with them. I replied that we could talk about anything and everything—as long as we did not talk about how economically bad things are today. We had just ended on a positive note, and I wanted to keep that momentum going. I felt it was important that we keep on keeping on.

Which brings me to today’s topic—perseverance.

In light of things, I believe this is the one true virtue for this year. While perseverance might not be as readily appealing as other virtues such as wisdom, knowledge or justice, it is the virtue that can get you through hard times. It is most definitely of-the-moment.

I received early lessons in perseverance when I was growing up. My dad taught them to me. In fact, the power of perseverance was among the most important things he passed along. Back then, in Macon, Georgia, my father had his own architectural firm. He was successful, and one of the biggest reasons for this was that he could not be outworked. He experienced tough times when the firm didn’t have enough work, but he would not be outworked. He went in early, stayed late and worked every weekend.

He never gave up—especially in hard times. He persevered.

I thought of all this recently when I reread a great story about Winston Churchill. It went like this:

“In 1941, at the height of the Battle of Britain when Nazi firepower seemed overwhelming, Winston Churchill reminded Britons that surrender was not an option. ‘Never give in,’ he told a group of schoolchildren. ‘Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense.’“

And so I remind you today—in these less-than-best-of-times—to persevere. Stay in the game. Make the tough calls. Complete the difficult projects. Be a leader. Do whatever you need to do to do what you do better.


Embrace the virtue of perseverance. It’s your friend in this shaky economy. Don’t waste your time dwelling on the bad news of the day or gossiping with coworkers. Use your time wisely to preserve. Don’t stop; in fact, go the extra mile. Persevere, and you’ll eventually prosper. Just ask my 87-year-old dad who went through hard times and came out on the other side better for the experience. I bet he’ll share the lesson of perseverance with you—just like he modeled that to me when I was growing up.