The Best Lesson on Perseverance Came From My Daughter

My 5-year-old just taught me more about perseverance than any business book ever has.

For context: my daughter just learned to tie her shoes. She got a pair of boots that have a zipper AND laces. So every morning, she has to zip them up and then tie them.

Sometimes she gets frustrated. The zipper gets stuck. The laces come undone. She has to start over.

But it's very important to her to do it by herself. She perseveres through the frustration. And she does it.

I kept noticing this pattern over the break with all of my kids. They want to try things on their own, even when it's hard. Even when they can't always do everything perfectly. Even when it would be so much faster if I just did it for them.

But here's the part that really stuck with me: they also ask for help when they truly need it.

My daughter still ties her own boots every morning. But when the zipper really won't budge, she asks me to hold the bottom while she pulls. She's figured out when to push through and when to reach out.

That's the balance I try to bring to running my practice.

Work hard. Try to figure things out yourself. But recognize when you need help and reach out to people who can support you.

When I started my firm, I probably tried to do too much on my own. There were times I should have asked for help sooner. Times I struggled longer than I needed to because I was determined to figure it out myself.

My kids are teaching me what that balance actually looks like in practice.

Try first. Give it real effort. Push through the frustration when you can. And then ask when you need to.

Perseverance isn't about refusing help. It's about knowing when you've given it everything you've got and when it's time to let someone hold the bottom of the zipper.

It works for boots. It works for building a business too.