A500.1.5.RB - Intellectual Perseverance

The Critical Thinking Community’s definition of intellectual perseverance is “having a consciousness of the need to use intellectual insights and truths in spite of difficulties, obstacles, and frustrations; firm adherence to rational principles despite the irrational opposition of others; a sense of the need to struggle with confusion and unsettled questions over an extended period of time to achieve deeper understanding or insight” (Valuable Intellectual Virtues, September 2014). 

I have read the definition of intellectual perseverance numerous times and have formulated my own interpretation of what it means.  But first, I think it is better to understand what each word means before thinking of intellectual perseverance as a whole.  Perseverance means to continue to make every attempt to overcome adversity, regardless of odds, level of difficulty, and obstacles in the way of achieving a goal.  Intellect is the capability of the mind to think logically and understand.  When combined, my definition of intellectual perseverance means using the mind to overcome adversity, regardless of odds, level of difficulty, and obstacles in the way of achieving a goal.  It may be easier to think of perseverance in a physical sense, such as overcoming a physical challenge.  For example, one may display perseverance when dealing with physical therapy to overcome a temporary disability or handicap.  The goal in this example of perseverance is to achieve a physical goal, but the mind played a vital role in the success of that achievement.  Therefore, even though physical perseverance was displayed, the mind was the reason physical perseverance was achieved.  “Mind over matter” is exhibited in overcoming many physical obstacles and illustrates that the mind is the core of perseverance.

Intellectual perseverance will play a vital role in my journey to higher learning.  I have faced academic challenges in the past and had to use intellectual perseverance to overcome those challenges.  My grades have never come easy to me.  I am not a person that is able to just read something to fully absorb and learn what I am reading.  I am the person that needs to read something, then read it again, then maybe read it even more to be able to feel comfortable in understanding the subject matter.  This is a disadvantage when trying to achieve a higher education.  However, I have found a way to intellectually persevere.  Through the years of my education, I had to remind myself that most good things don’t come easy.  I don’t see the future being any different.  I’m fully aware I will need to work very hard and use intellectual perseverance to achieve academic success.

I have been exposed to many different people and their personalities throughout life.  I have tried to learn from that exposure, take those experiences with me, and use the lessons learned from those experiences when needed again.  I make every attempt to live by the motto, “You don’t have to like it; you just have to do it”.  I picked up this motto from the Air Force, when one of the Senior NCO’s (Non-commissioned officer) would scream it while doing PT (Physical Training).  He was in his late thirties at the time and was able to perform at the same level as most of the Airmen in their twenties.  Just to be clear, we were not doing basic exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, or jumping jacks.  We were performing grueling workouts that involved carrying telephone poles, pushing HMMWV’s (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) as fast as we could, and many other exhausting training exercises.  He would yell, “You don’t have to like it; you just have to do it” when it was evident most of us were running on empty.  Once we heard it and processed it, we somehow found the energy to complete the training.  It was a clear example of how intellectual perseverance was used to achieve a physical goal.  Now I apply that motto towards anything I now need to do, but don’t necessarily feel like doing.  This has helped me take action to accomplish what needs done vs. thinking about getting something done and avoiding taking action.  The man that introduced me to that motto was a clear leader in a leadership position.  It’s evident that intellectual perseverance is a vital and mandatory quality of any great leader.  Leaders, at some point, will be put into a situation where they need to demonstrate intellectual perseverance or have the ability to show their subordinates how to use intellectual perseverance to achieve a goal.  If a leader cannot do either, they will not be a leader for very long.