February 17, 2025 | Blayne Smith and Brandon Young
“ The payoff of perseverance is growth. . . you become somebody who can persevere through adversity, and you can take that next rock slide, that next unexpected change that comes at you.”
In this compelling conversation on leadership, perseverance, and wisdom, MDiv Leadership alumnus Brandon Young and Blayne Smith—co-founders of Applied Leadership Partners and co-authors of “Perseverance > Endurance: Lead with Resilience. Grow Through Adversity. Win Together.“—share insights from their military service and professional journeys. Drawing from their extensive experience in high-stakes environments, including the Green Berets and U.S. Army Rangers, they emphasize the power of vulnerability, trust, and teamwork in leadership. They explore how true growth comes from embracing challenges, applying wisdom over mere knowledge, and prioritizing relationships over achievements. Their discussion highlights key themes from their book, offering leaders practical guidance on cultivating resilience, integrity, and a commitment to others.
"When we talk about endurance, we suggest that when you get to point B, you're just kind of a more exhausted version of the person you were at point A; whereas with perseverance, it's actually quite different. You go through that… Share on X "Change, uncertainty, acceptance, choice, and growth is essentially this framework that we developed for what persevering through adversity looks like. It starts with change, which brings about a sense of uncertainty. And… Share on X "If you can go through [challenges] with people you really care about and love and trust, it's going to be that much better. You can learn to settle in, be patient and faithful, and stay with it. It doesn't make it easy, but it… Share on X "We're moving away from the knowledge economy into the wisdom economy, and if we can't learn to apply good judgment, discernment, patience, and decency, we're going to have trouble. [There is a] difference between being great and… Share on X