Resilient Warrior Leader: The Passion to Persevere

If you’ve been following along in our Resilient Warrior Leader series, you know that leadership isn’t just about vision, execution, or charisma—it’s also about sacrifice. At some point in every leader’s journey, we experience what Resonant Leadership calls the Sacrifice Syndrome—a state where we give continuously without taking the time to renew ourselves. The results? Emotional exhaustion, cognitive decline, and frayed relationships.

But that raises a deeper question: why do we give so much?

For some, the idea of sacrifice is foreign. Perhaps they’re content, disengaged, or simply unaware that they’re running on empty. But for others—for those of us called to lead—sacrifice is part of the fabric of our identity. We give because we care. We sacrifice because we believe in the mission. We work hard because we love the work.

And that’s where passion enters the conversation.

The word passion originates from the Latin word pati, meaning to suffer. Let that sink in. Embedded in our passion is the idea that we are willing to endure pain, setbacks, or discomfort for the sake of something greater. Passion, suffering, and sacrifice all live in the same neighborhood—and leaders visit there often.

What sets resilient leaders apart is that they don’t just endure these states; they renew themselves through them. They learn to refill their cup. They understand that passion isn’t just a feeling—it’s a long-term investment.

Passion often begins with a spark—an interest, a calling, a sense of flow. But that spark must be developed. Passion matures over time. Discovery leads to development, and development leads to depth. True passion means working toward a distant goal, committing to something that isn’t easily swapped out or abandoned, and sacrificing short-term comfort for long-term purpose.

I often think of those leaders who labor over a decade-long merger, who pour themselves into succession planning, or who spend years fundraising for a new facility. That is not just work—it’s devotion.

Angela Duckworth, author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, reminds us that grit isn’t about bursts of energy or enthusiasm. Grit is stamina. It’s the quiet determination to stick with something over the long haul.

Duckworth defines grit as a combination of passion and perseverance. We’ve explored the definition of passion above - now let’s look at its companion: perseverance. It’s the strength of will that keeps us going, the tendency to see things through, even when obstacles mount. It’s the tenacity to move forward when progress feels slow, and the doggedness to refine and improve when it feels like no one is watching.

What many forget is that passion requires practice.

Yes, practice. Not just the romantic notion of loving your work—but the daily, deliberate effort of refining it. Practice, by definition, is the application of a skill with the goal of improving performance.

Jordan, Gretzky, and now McIlroy - loved the game they played, but it was the practice that made them great and the practice that truly developed their love of the game or their passion.

To develop passion into excellence, leaders need:

• A clearly defined stretch goal

• Full concentration and effort

• Immediate and honest feedback

• Repetition, reflection, and refinement

These elements may seem unremarkable alone—but together, they create talent, strength, and grit.

When leaders engage in practice long enough, they may enter a state called flow—a term coined by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi to describe deep immersion in an activity. In flow, time vanishes, ego quiets, and productivity soars. Flow is the reward for those who persist.

So, as a leader deepening your passion and refining your craft and sacrifice, pause and ask yourself:

• Am I simply giving… or am I growing through deliberate practice to feed my passion?

• Am I drained and depleted… or am I energized by a sense of flow?

• Am I sacrificing out of habit… or am I pursuing something meaningful with intention?

Remember, talent may start the journey, but it’s passion, perseverance, and practice that carry us across the finish line.