Perseverance and self-belief are the quiet forces that help us turn small sparks of inspiration into lasting legacies. As we step into September—a month that often feels like a fresh chapter, filled with new beginnings—it’s the perfect time to reflect on how we nurture our dreams and carry them forward. In this inspiring piece by social entrepreneur Anita Whittaker, we explore what it really means to hold onto your vision, believe in yourself, and keep asking “why” until your spark becomes something bigger than you imagined. From finding the courage to begin to staying committed along the way, this piece offers wisdom, warmth, and practical ways to embrace your journey.
1 September. A new beginning. The end of summer, the start of another season. Even though I’ve long left school, this time of year always carries the same feeling of fresh notebooks, sharpened pencils, and new possibilities. It is a natural pause, a moment to reflect and to plan what comes next.
Recently I was asked to speak on perseverance and self-belief, and I’ve been sitting with what those words really mean to me.
It All Begins with a Spark
For me, perseverance always starts with a spark. A dream. An idea that makes me smile, one that feels good to think about. That spark grows into a flame—warm, bright, exciting. In that moment I know: this dream deserves to become real.
But then comes the question—what next?
I capture it. I write it down. I sketch, I pin, I build mood boards on Pinterest. I use social media to visualise it. Sometimes I even call on AI to help shape my scattered words into full sentences and structured plans. In that process, the spark takes shape.
I give birth to the dream.
And once you’ve carried something that far—how could you possibly abandon it?
Self-Belief: The Boldness to Claim It
Here’s the truth as I see it: self-belief is arrogance. Not arrogance in the negative sense, but in the bold, brave knowing that your idea is uniquely yours. That spark, that thought, is a gift—and you are the gift-bearer.
Everything about you—your face, mind, body, the very atoms that make you—is unrepeatable. That means your mission, however small or grand, is unrepeatable too.
No one else can do it like you.
So who should believe you, if you don’t first believe yourself?
The Practice
Here’s a simple exercise I live by: stand in front of the mirror every morning and say—ten times—
“I am uniquely me. I have everything to offer. No one else can do it like me.”
Say it with a smile. Be stubborn. Be cocky. Be bold.
I say it until I feel it. Because yes, doubt does creep in—of course it does—but I’ve learnt to push through by holding fast to this truth: I am fabulous, and I know it.
Perseverance: Asking “Why?”
Perseverance, for me, is child-like. It’s the endless “Why?” stage every parent knows well.
As a former pre-school teacher and a mother of four, I learnt quickly that those repeated “whys” aren’t about defiance—they’re about discovery. And I’ve carried that lesson into my work and life.
When someone tells me no to an idea, I ask why. Do they not understand it yet? Do I need to explain it differently, show it in another way? I birthed this idea; I know its worth. And I believe that, given time, others will see it too.
Feedback matters. It helps me refine and grow. But if feedback dismisses the dream entirely, I’ve learnt not to absorb that as truth. That rejection belongs to them, not me. Somewhere, someone else will see the value.
And they always do.
Finding the Tribe
Because here’s the beauty of perseverance: your spark will draw the right people. Your tribe will find you. You will find them. And together, that dream will evolve into reality.
It may not look exactly like it did at the start—most dreams don’t. Like us, they go through stages: infancy, adolescence, maturity, even frailty. They get knocked down, bruised, reshaped. But in the end, if you stay with it, that dream leaves a legacy.
And that’s what perseverance is: keeping hold of the bigger picture.
The Why Behind It All
To persevere is to keep asking why—until you’re dizzy from the questions, until the answers force you to clarity. And then, to act.
Because when perseverance meets self-belief, beauty is always waiting at the end.
Article by Anita Whittaker — Social Entrepreneur. Founder of Only Boys and Tomboys (a family lifestyle platform); Innovative Opportunities (I O), a non-profit community education company; and I O Together Spaces Ltd, a design-and-build company specialising in luxury community buildings.
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