If there is one thing I have learned from my husband over the years, then it is that sometimes, being stubborn is not always a bad thing.
I see a man who can be stubborn over an issue until he sees the end. A lot of times, I am even the one discouraging him from giving up, but then, through practical experiences with him, I keep learning in the same direction as well. So yeah, I learned that there are moments in life when you have to stand your ground, as long as you are sure of what you are striving to achieve. Once a clear definition is established, you are good to go.
And again, I learned also that there are moments being stubborn can escalate an issue and things will go wrong. Both of the experiences, I have had them, and in all, life taught me that indeed, there is a clear difference between being stubborn and being determined.
There was a time I was working on a project that both my friend and my husband said I should let go of instead of wasting my time, my brain, and my resources without results. To be honest, things were moving so rough; I had ugly experiences that could have easily made me give up, but I was stubborn enough to keep on giving the project my best. A lot of diverse opinions from people huge enough to make me quit, and honestly, I nearly did, but somehow I kept pushing. I wanted to see the end; that was determination/stubbornness, lol.
I saw myself learning more about the project, doing research, and asking plenty of questions. I was standing my ground, doing what I was doing diligently even without seeing results , and later on, I discovered that what I referred to as stubbornness was determination, actually. I smiled at last. Sorry, I choose not to disclose what the project was all about, but if I had listened to those voices around back then, I wouldn't have had the evidence I finally carried.
It was an experience that taught me that sometimes, I need just a little stubbornness here and there to navigate difficult seasons of life.
Again, I also had things turn out bad over my stubbornness the other time. It was a situation that deep down I knew I needed to adjust to, but I was so stubborn to see that things would work out in my own way. I had people who advised me to reconsider my stand on the stuff, but because my mind was already made up, I didn't give a damn, and what later happened? Things escalated and got worse. I had the sign but didn't care; it was a different kind of stubbornness. If I had admitted that I was wrong, it wouldn't have gotten bad.
One lesson I have learned is that no matter how stubborn or determined I seem to be, I must not push blindly. Once I see a positive or negative sign, it mustn't be ignored. At times, changing my strategy can save me a lot of stress.
So yeah, ever since my diverse experiences on this subject, I now see stubbornness differently. It's all about applying wisdom. Knowing when to stand firm amidst the noises around and knowing when to pause and rethink and withdraw when necessary.
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