There are times in every student’s life when he/she just has to push through a tough assignment. Whether it’s finishing a research paper or preparing for a math test, students must be tenacious (see definition below) to get over those final humps. A little bit of tenacity is essential throughout life, whether you choose to become a teacher, an accountant or almost anything else. Steve Jobs, the founder and longtime leader of Apple Computer, which makes iPhones and iPods, is a good example. In a public statement describing Jobs’ legacy, Bono, the lead singer of the band U2, said: “[Steve Jobs] was tenacious in the extreme, his toughness never more evident than these past few years in his fight for his life as well as his companies.” We all don’t have to be as tenacious as Steve Jobs was to reach our dreams, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea for most of us to try to be at least a little more tenacious. –Will Bildsten

Speak your mind: Who is the most tenacious person you know—and how does he/she demonstrate that trait?

TENACIOUS: Persistent in seeking a goal.