Persistence

CATEGORY: REAL WORLD

Why:

We all have the ability to be persistent. Learning to direct this ability gives us a powerful way to reach our goals.

Warm-Up:

When are you most persistent? From homework to video games, in any part of life.

Exploration:

Some of our best experiences in life can only come from persistence and determination. Playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda took six full years to write the hit musical Hamilton, and turned down a lot of opportunities in the meantime to focus on it. How does it feel to be persistent and finally get what you were working toward? How must it have felt for Lin-Manuel to finally have Hamilton succeed? What kinds of things bring out your persistent side, when you're willing to say no to distractions? When is it hard to be persistent?

Additional Resources

For more on Lin-Manuel Miranda's story, check out this video of him talking to high school students about how he persevered through a long creative journey: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI_jVkV0AJs&t=77s