

Tenacity is a key attribute in successful entrepreneurs - cwan
http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2009/12/tenacity.html

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carbocation
Put biologically: tenacity is permissive for success.

More pertinently, has anyone ever been both a failure and _labeled_ as
tenacious? Tenacity seems like one of those words that we use to describe
successful people, making the linkage almost embedded within the word and,
therefore, uninteresting.

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epi0Bauqu
My first startup failed and yet I was labeled as tenacious with regards to it.

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carbocation
The startup may have been labeled a failure, but you were not labeled so (at
least, not to my knowledge). The distinction is critical to my point.

If that first business were successful, people fond of the buzzword
'tenacious' might label you tenacious, for toughing out the hard times in
order to 'win'. Since it failed, they could keep the buzzword alive by bumping
it up a level and saying that you were tenacious in pursuing the
entrepreneurial dream, wisely jettisoning that failed project and learning
great lessons along the way. Neither of those uses of the word would surprise
me.

What would be surprising is if the word 'tenacious' were to be decoupled from
success. That is, if you never hit it big but were so renowned for your
tenacity that you nevertheless got press or recognition for it. Perhaps Daniel
Ruettiger (Rudy, from Notre Dame fame) is the best example of someone who is
recognized for his tenacity despite not achieving canonical success.*

* = at least, not in football; he is making plenty as a motivational speaker.

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jsomers
Is anyone surprised that "tenacity is a key attribute in successful
entrepreneurs"? Has anyone _learned_ anything by reading this post?

In my view this submission is vapid to the point of being flag-worthy.
Evidence: after two hours this piece has generated zero actual discussion.

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tonystubblebine
Right. Is there any way to turn it into an interesting discussion? For
example, is tenacity something that can be learned?

Here's an interesting obvservation I've had about tenacity. My company has
inspired a small niche in the conference industry. There is one other company
that launched at the same time as us and six more that are copycats. One thing
I've noticed is that the copycats are full of bluster but light on tenacity. I
think having the original idea gives you extra backbone because you are tied
to the change you want to see in the world. Copycats just see a business
opportunity and start to doubt themselves when they hit rough patches.

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migpwr
I believe tenacity can be "learned". I don't know if I'd call it learning
though and don't think it's like learning to ride a bike.

Your environment can chisel an "edge" into your personality. Something like a
chip on your shoulder. Doesn't this happen a lot in small teams? You against
the world? Soldiers in small military units, startups, and again, sports see
similar "effects".

Adversity or emotional abuse might produce a similar result. A parent telling
a child that something isn't good enough or to not let them down on a task.

Isn't this loosely related to all those posts about not telling kids they're
smart?

~~~
tonystubblebine
I read an interesting story about the family angle today:

[http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/11562/the-
essenti...](http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/11562/the-essential-
reggie-miller-documentary)

This is about probable NBA hall-of-famer Reggie Miller and how he turned into
a renowned trash talker. Apparently a lot of the drive came from growing up
under the thumb of his even more successful older sister. The day he scored 40
points in a high school game was the day she scored 105. He couldn't beat her
one-on-one until he was an adult. Now trash-talking is not the same as
success, but it takes some tenacity to keep challenging people no matter how
the game is flowing.

How many of us wish our parents and siblings were meaner?

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jaspertheghost
I believe that tenacity leads to luck, simply through more tries:

Chance II springs from your energetic, generalized motor activities... the
freer they are, the better.

[Chance II] involves the kind of luck [Charles] Kettering... had in mind when
he said, "Keep on going and chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps
when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on
something sitting down."

[http://pmarca-archive.posterous.com/luck-and-the-
entrepreneu...](http://pmarca-archive.posterous.com/luck-and-the-entrepreneur-
part-1-the-four-kin)

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n-named
Having hands is a key attribute in successful basketball players.

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grannyg00se
Summary: Tenacity is important. Others agree. I know some tenacious people.
Yay for me.

