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Perseverance > Endurance: Lead with Resilience. Grow Through Adversity. Win Together.
From the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq to the boardrooms of Nike, Walmart, and Microsoft, Blayne Smith and Brandon Young have consistently built tightly-knit, high-performing teams that persevere and win.
Join the Army Rangers on the peaks of the Hindu Kush Mountains in Afghanistan and the Green Berets at Firebase Anaconda to gain key insights for leading teams through uncertainty and the understanding that perseverance is what’s most required for today’s complex world.
Doubt crushes leaders daily—from GMs of Fortune 500 companies to small business owners across America, leaders nearly unanimously express doubt and fear in the face of adversity. This makes sense because adversity pushes us beyond our training and our comfort zones.
We cannot simply put our heads down and endure. Instead, learn that adversity as an opportunity for transformation. When faced with circumstances beyond our capabilities, we must grow to meet those new challenges by persevering and becoming the person the situation requires.
Perseverance > Endurance empowers leaders to gain clarity on their challenges and apply sound leadership principles to lead their teams to victory across the ridgeline of adversity—the line between the harder right and the easier wrong—by embracing the five factors of
Change: Factors outside of our control change fast and often. Uncertainty: We are confronted with situations beyond our training or capabilities, which creates a sense of fear. Acceptance: Accept the consequences, embrace the reality of the situation, and surrender what we cannot control. Choice: Choose to become our creeds, values, and ethos and become the person your team and the situation call for. Growth: We will be changed on the other side; we may not feel whole immediately, but we will be better, wiser leaders ready for the next big challenge.
Learn to lead and win from two US Army Special Operators turned business professionals, who have both? built successful businesses and led teams through adversity to achieve no-fail missions in war, business, and life.
Join the Army Rangers on the peaks of the Hindu Kush Mountains in Afghanistan and the Green Berets at Firebase Anaconda to gain key insights for leading teams through uncertainty and the understanding that perseverance is what’s most required for today’s complex world.
Doubt crushes leaders daily—from GMs of Fortune 500 companies to small business owners across America, leaders nearly unanimously express doubt and fear in the face of adversity. This makes sense because adversity pushes us beyond our training and our comfort zones.
We cannot simply put our heads down and endure. Instead, learn that adversity as an opportunity for transformation. When faced with circumstances beyond our capabilities, we must grow to meet those new challenges by persevering and becoming the person the situation requires.
Perseverance > Endurance empowers leaders to gain clarity on their challenges and apply sound leadership principles to lead their teams to victory across the ridgeline of adversity—the line between the harder right and the easier wrong—by embracing the five factors of
Change: Factors outside of our control change fast and often. Uncertainty: We are confronted with situations beyond our training or capabilities, which creates a sense of fear. Acceptance: Accept the consequences, embrace the reality of the situation, and surrender what we cannot control. Choice: Choose to become our creeds, values, and ethos and become the person your team and the situation call for. Growth: We will be changed on the other side; we may not feel whole immediately, but we will be better, wiser leaders ready for the next big challenge.
Learn to lead and win from two US Army Special Operators turned business professionals, who have both? built successful businesses and led teams through adversity to achieve no-fail missions in war, business, and life.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published February 11, 2025
6 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 12, 2025
Endurance leaves us exhausted and tired. Perseverance transforms us so we can face adversity and thrive.
Based on their years of success (and struggles) as leaders, the authors provide a unique and helpful framework to guide today's leaders toward sustainable, wise leadership practice.
The stories are compelling and the framework empowers individuals to lead and grow. As a graduate leadership professor with a PhD in Leadership Studies, I recommend Perseverance > Endurance wholeheartedly.
Based on their years of success (and struggles) as leaders, the authors provide a unique and helpful framework to guide today's leaders toward sustainable, wise leadership practice.
The stories are compelling and the framework empowers individuals to lead and grow. As a graduate leadership professor with a PhD in Leadership Studies, I recommend Perseverance > Endurance wholeheartedly.
January 31, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! I have read many leadership books and none have grabbed my attention and my heart like this one! The way it’s written with real stories - nearly like a novel - with absolute gut punching aha moments for leaders - makes it my top favorite leadership book I’ve read yet. I had to keep pausing to take notes - reflect - soak it in. I got this as an advanced audio book - but will be buying the print version to mark it up and reference regularly.
I can see this as a book I recommend often because it’s more than a corporate book - it’s a life book. Having so many members of my family in military it gave me this inside look into how much they learned and gained and the leaders that they are now in the community. I loved the ending chapters showing the hardships of reintroduction to civilian life and the uncompromising drive.
It’s a book that shows so much into people, adversity, real scenarios, ways to really live life, with truth and a way to size up the hardest of moments professionally or personally.
I walk away reading it feeling changed, inspired and a bit in awe of what I will be capable of with the tips and techniques- really mindset shifts to go from enduring life to persevering through it - which is to to thrive!
April 6, 2025
I first heard Brandon Smith as a guest on the Mountain Side podcast and his personal story struck a deep chord with me. Intrigued, I picked up ‘Perseverance is Greater than Endurance’ and I was pleasantly surprised how relevant and impactful it was to my own life. While I initially expected a business leadership book, I’d categorize this more as a self-motivational book - and that was perfect since I don’t hold a traditional leadership role at work.
This book is packed with powerful insights. Here are two I loved.
“Too often, we confuse acceptance with throwing our hands up and turning over control…in fact it’s the opposite. At its core, acceptance is about responsibility. It’s taking ownership of our life, with all its good and bad.”
“….by letting go of what we cannot control - almost everything - we can focus all of our energy on the small number of things over which we have total dominion.”
I didn’t rush through this book. Instead, I found myself pausing often to reflect on my own ability to preserve rather than just endure. It’s a thought-provoking read that I know I’ll return to again.
This book is packed with powerful insights. Here are two I loved.
“Too often, we confuse acceptance with throwing our hands up and turning over control…in fact it’s the opposite. At its core, acceptance is about responsibility. It’s taking ownership of our life, with all its good and bad.”
“….by letting go of what we cannot control - almost everything - we can focus all of our energy on the small number of things over which we have total dominion.”
I didn’t rush through this book. Instead, I found myself pausing often to reflect on my own ability to preserve rather than just endure. It’s a thought-provoking read that I know I’ll return to again.
February 28, 2025
A must-read for anyone that wants to turn adversity into growth.
This book isn’t just about pushing through hardship it’s about how to turn that hardship into purpose. It’s the kind of wisdom that sticks with you long after you put it down.
These servant leaders show you how to keep going in a way that makes you stronger, more intentional, and more capable. Whether you’re navigating a career transition, a tough decision, or just looking for a shift in mindset, this book will challenge you in the best way.
It’s direct, honest, and exactly what so many people need to hear right now. I highly recommend it to anyone who’s ready to stop merely surviving and start thriving.
This book isn’t just about pushing through hardship it’s about how to turn that hardship into purpose. It’s the kind of wisdom that sticks with you long after you put it down.
These servant leaders show you how to keep going in a way that makes you stronger, more intentional, and more capable. Whether you’re navigating a career transition, a tough decision, or just looking for a shift in mindset, this book will challenge you in the best way.
It’s direct, honest, and exactly what so many people need to hear right now. I highly recommend it to anyone who’s ready to stop merely surviving and start thriving.
May 4, 2025
I have read a lot of leadership and personal development books, this one is excellent. The concepts aren’t that different, however, they are phrased in a way that makes them land differently and feel more accessible. The stories are woven effortlessly into the messages of the chapter which made it much easier to internalized and see how this could apply to your life and business.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews