The art of Perseverance.

Picture this.

It’s apartheid South Africa in the mid-20th century.

Black people are stripped of their rights, forced into poverty, and told they’re less than human.

Then comes Nelson Mandela.

A freedom fighter who refuses to accept this injustice. 

He rallies his people, organizes protests, and unites the oppressed under a banner of hope.

But the system strikes back. 

Labeled a terrorist, hunted, and captured, Mandela stands in court in 1964, facing life imprisonment. 

Looking his oppressors in the eye, he declares:

Mandela then spent 27 years breaking rocks in the sun.

He educated himself, debated politics with fellow inmates, and sharpened his mind and spirit for the day he’d finally be free.

And when he walked out of prison on February 11, 1990, he marched into history.

Clenched fist raised high, the world watched as the man they tried to silence became the voice of a nation.

Four years later, he was sworn in as South Africa’s first Black president and he dismantled apartheid. 

Now, where am I going with this…

So you might not be facing 27 years in a cell, but every entrepreneur knows what it feels like to be trapped.

I remember my own version of the cell.

It was during the Alpha Millennium Challenge, a moment that felt like my ultimate test.

I’d promised the founder of the agency that I would take us to $100K per month.

But we were losing money. We were bleeding dry. The walls were closing in.

The easy thing would’ve been to agree with the founder that it wasn’t working.

But I made a decision.

I was going to record 1,000 personalized Loom videos for e-commerce owners in three weeks.

It was exhausting. Sleepless nights. Early mornings. Rejection after rejection. I lost my voice, my mind was fried, but I kept going.

And it paid off.

The agency turned a corner. We started landing clients. The revenue grew.

That moment of desperation became the foundation of a 7-figure business.

The key was Perseverance.

The blueprint for the underdog:

Building something great isn’t about luck or talent alone – it’s about perseverance.

In business, there will be times where you feel stuck, out of options, and beaten down.

Now, everyone loves the underdog story, but do you know why?

Because deep down, most people aren’t willing to live it.

Because perseverance isn’t sexy. It’s not Instagram highlights or champagne celebrations.

It’s the sleepless nights when your brain won’t stop spinning.

It’s hearing “no” a hundred times and still showing up for the hundred-and-first.

It’s putting in the work no one sees, knowing the payoff won’t come tomorrow, or next month, or even next year.

This is what separates David from Goliath.

Ask yourself: Are you ready to face the climb, the failures, and the odds stacked against you?

Because if you’re not, this really isn’t for you.

If you’re serious about this, here’s your plan for this week:

Step 1: Identify Your Big Challenge
What feels impossible right now? Write it down. Be specific.

Step 2: Break It Into Smaller Pieces
Divide that challenge into actionable steps. Assign a timeline to each one.

Step 3: Set a Daily Target
Commit to one action each day. Progress isn’t made in leaps - it’s made in daily steps.

Step 4: Prepare for the Pain
Visualize the endgame. Keep your eyes on how this will transform your life.

Step 5: Measure and Celebrate Progress
Set milestones and celebrate small wins.

Step 6: Never Ever Give Up
Even if you’re crawling just keep moving forward.

This is it. The line in the sand.

You might not be breaking rocks in the sun, but you are fighting your own battles.

And just like Mandela, you have a choice:

Do you let the obstacles crush you? Or do you dig in, fight harder, and persevere?

I know you’ll make the right choice.

Keep pushing.

Yours truly,

-Nigel Thomas

P.S. If you enjoyed reading this please take 15 seconds to reply why with a quick response - I appreciate you!