Over the weekend, my desk calendar reminded me about the importance of persistence.

It spoke of a stonecutter who strikes a rock a hundred times without a crack, but on the hundred and first, it splits. The breakthrough does not come from that final strike, but from every single one before, a lesson captured beautifully by Jacob Riis.

This story stayed with me because it explains why achievements so often appear sudden from the outside. A deal closed, a project delivered, a career breakthrough. Yet behind these moments are countless hours of effort, follow-up conversations, disappointments, rejections, and the quiet determination that led to that moment. These steps remain invisible to others, yet they are what make the difference.

In leadership and in life, it is tempting to chase instant results. But real progress rarely works that way. It builds slowly, quietly, and sometimes painfully, until the day it suddenly becomes visible.

The lesson is simple but powerful: stay focused, stay persistent, and trust the process even when nothing seems to change. Just like the stonecutter, you may be closer to the breakthrough than you think.

Every effort counts. Persistence is key.