Intellectual Perseverance

I would define intellectual perseverance as our own judgment based on learned truths and overcoming the fear of different beliefs of others who challenge our own thinking. One must have a firm belief in their thoughts and abilities to overcome opposition from other’s and still be able to listen to varying view-points without being persuaded to alter their beliefs. In other words, by listening to other people’s views and opinion’s then critically thinking about them, we open our minds to the possibility of being persuaded to change viewpoints. However, it is important to continuously evaluate our own beliefs and understandings in order to have self-reassurance we are capable of achieving what we put our minds to.

For example, when I was 18 years old I made the decision to join the United States Air Force. I realized I was not ready for college and needed an escape to figure out who I was. Family and friends did not like the idea that I was joining the military and could not fully support my decision because our country was in the beginning of a war and they feared for my safety. I felt at 18 year olds I could do anything I wanted and nothing would stand in my way. I left for boot camp in San Antonio, Texas October 7, 2003 with one duffle bag, lots of tears, and the heaviest weight in the pit of my stomach. Boot camp is more of a mind game than anything else; as trainees we are broke down to our lowest point then they begin to rebuild us into respectable individuals who are proud of who we would become. Our intellectual perseverance was the key to making it through to graduation day and to begin our new life. I had to have will power, courage, and strength to rebuild who I was in a short time after facing obstacles I never saw coming, such as having very little contact with my parents, not sleeping for several days at a time, and learning to appreciate the basic necessities of life. My mind and body wanted to give up because it was the easy way out; instead, I had to keep pushing through to prove I could do anything I put my mind to in order to not let others see me fail. Intellectual perseverance is finishing what you start when others believe you cannot or will not finish.

Intellectual perseverance will be the key to my future as I pursue my degree because as I will face difficult days at work, raising my children, and attending school full time. I will have to mentally remind myself not to give up and to keep pushing through to the end. It is not easy to listen to family and friends who cannot grasp how raising our family with my husbands help, having a full-time career, and working on my masters is important to me; I face opposition from my own mother who believes it is too much to handle. To persevere through opposition and discouragement from our closest friends and family does wear down the mind; we begin to question our own strengths and abilities. However, if I do not allow others negativity for my future to inter fear with what I know I can do, I will be able to complete the program despite their opposition.                           

Finally, to be a good leader I believe one must be able to take what others say with a grain of salt. It is not to say input from others does not matter but one must be able to distinguish what will help a team and what will hinder a team. Being a good leader requires the ability to balance others input with their own ideas and beliefs. A good leader balances time, skills of others on the team, and objectives that must be completed to work for the greater good. A good leader does not talk down to others and they should not constantly badger their team members to finish a project if they are on time to meet a deadline. I see a good leader as someone who encourages their team to keep going, teach their team members new skills in order to succeed, and realizes we are all humans and will make mistakes from time to time. Intellectual perseverance relates to a good leader because they must have the ability to encourage their team members even when they feel like failures and they must keep on trying because giving up is not an option.