There are two kinds of stubbornness: persistence and obstinacy.
Persistence and obstinacy may look similar at first glance, but they are different.
Persistence means having an unwavering, strong will to achieve a higher-level goal. It means listening carefully to others and taking in new information. It means being flexible and acknowledging that you can be wrong about the means you use to reach your goal. It means keeping your mind fully engaged at all times.
Obstinacy means becoming fixated on the first approach you thought of. It means clinging to the first solution you chose without much real thought. It means acting on belief rather than thinking deeply.
In simplified problems — like the stories told in movies and dramas — the goal is already defined, so what matters most is simply not giving up. That is why the two can get confused. But in the complex problems of the real world, they are not the same.
The five components of persistence
Energy: The drive to accomplish something.
Imagination: The ability to come up with new ways to try.
Resilience: Not losing morale even after experiencing failure.
Good judgement: Staying flexible about the right means without changing the goal, and making excellent choices.
Focusing on the goal: The desire to do something. The standard by which you judge what matters.