--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Out of sheer stubbornness, I just would…" description: "\"Out of sheer stubbornness, I just would keep going - just hoping that at some point something would click. I certainly held onto the hope that it might..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/r-a-dickey-24700_bigs_out-of-sheer-stubbornness-i-just-would-k_3214881.png" --- # Out of sheer stubbornness, I just would keep going - just… ![“Out of sheer stubbornness, I just would keep going - just hoping that at some point something would click. I certainly held onto the hope that it might. I had no guarantees, but I trusted that if I worked hard and put in the time, it would eventually reap a fruit. I just didn't know what that…” quote by R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/r-a-dickey-24700_bigs_out-of-sheer-stubbornness-i-just-would-k_3214881.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/r-a-dickey-24700_bigs_out-of-sheer-stubbornness-i-just-would-k_3214881.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/r-a-dickey-24700_bigs_out-of-sheer-stubbornness-i-just-would-k_3214881.png) > “Out of sheer stubbornness, I just would keep going - just hoping that at some point something would click. I certainly held onto the hope that it might. I had no guarantees, but I trusted that if I worked hard and put in the time, it would eventually reap a fruit. I just didn't know what that fruit was going to be or how big it was going to be.” [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Persistence despite uncertainty can eventually yield unexpected rewards, even when the outcome is unclear. **In simple terms:** Keep going despite not knowing the result. Key Takeaway Trust effort will bear fruit. Themes perseverance hope uncertainty effort Mood determined optimistic Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - career projects - creative endeavors - personal goals - learning new skills Key Concepts growth mindset resilience long‑term payoff Questions to Reflect On - What hidden benefits might arise from continued effort? - How do you measure progress without clear outcomes? A Different Perspective Success may still require strategic adjustments, not just blind persistence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Stubbornness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stubbornness/) ## Related quotes > [“That’s crazy,” Emma said, sheer stubbornness making her deny what she already knew was happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-m-leaf/that-s-crazy-emma-said-sheer-stubbornness-making-her-deny-what-she/) Erin M. Leaf > [“I always knew I was stubborn. I just never realized that stubbornness was just another word for determination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-castile/i-always-knew-i-was-stubborn-i-just-never-realized-that-stubbornness/) [Mia Castile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-castile/) > [“Has anyone ever told you you’re unbelievably stubborn?” “Frequently. But, really, it’s not stubbornness. It’s just that I can say no without feeling guilty.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-wright/has-anyone-ever-told-you-you-re-unbelievably-stubborn-frequently-but/) [Suzanne Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-wright/) > [Even small efforts to bring about a change in the social fabric eventually reap large fruits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/even-small-efforts-to-bring-about-a-change-in-the-social-fabric/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [“Apollo knew well and good that wishes were nothing more than dust held together with hope, impossible to hold and foolish to dwell on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabeth-albert/apollo-knew-well-and-good-that-wishes-were-nothing-more-than-dust/) [Annabeth Albert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabeth-albert/) > [“I was where my heart held out hope that someday I would be again. It was the reason I never forgot him. My heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-l-ethington/i-was-where-my-heart-held-out-hope-that-someday-i-would-be-again-it/) [Rebecca L. Ethington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-l-ethington/) > [I'm not saying it wouldn't have happened if I'd come to Anfield then (1997), but I always held out hope that I'd come back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-keane/i-m-not-saying-it-wouldn-t-have-happened-if-i-d-come-to-anfield-then/) [Robbie Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-keane/) > [Even in my despair, I knew in a vague way that the Bible held hope for me in its pages. I just didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/even-in-my-despair-i-knew-in-a-vague-way-that-the-bible-held-hope-for/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [I saw the sorrow in Daddy's eyes I listened to the sound of Mommy's sighs In my sister, I saw what lingered was Faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guardian/i-saw-the-sorrow-in-daddy-s-eyes-i-listened-to-the-sound-of-mommy-s/) Guardian > [“He sank into the leather seat and held hope in his heart like a hundred stars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-trigiani/he-sank-into-the-leather-seat-and-held-hope-in-his-heart-like-a/) [Adriana Trigiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-trigiani/) > [We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/we-have-always-held-to-the-hope-the-belief-the-conviction-that-there/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Even amid the shock of my diagnosis, I held onto the hope that I'd be able to make the most of my down time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suleika-jaouad/even-amid-the-shock-of-my-diagnosis-i-held-onto-the-hope-that-i-d-be/) [Suleika Jaouad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suleika-jaouad/) > [Put that pride/stubbornness aside and reach out to someone n make amends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-that-pride-stubbornness-aside-and-reach-out-to-someone-n-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) > [Although their parents died in the wilderness for their stubbornness, Israel could profit from the older generation's failure by remembering that God had used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/although-their-parents-died-in-the-wilderness-for-their-stubbornness/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) ## More by R.A. Dickey > [I had a lot of fear that would motivate me to try to work hard, because I didn't know what I would do if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-had-a-lot-of-fear-that-would-motivate-me-to-try-to-work-hard/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [Ultimately, our lives hinge on the ability to make right choices and decisions. By God's grace, I made the most important decision a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/ultimately-our-lives-hinge-on-the-ability-to-make-right-choices-and/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [“One of the supreme paradoxes of baseball, and all sports, is that the harder you try to throw a pitch or hit a ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/one-of-the-supreme-paradoxes-of-baseball-and-all-sports-is-that-the/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [The more I grew as a human being, the better I became at my craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/the-more-i-grew-as-a-human-being-the-better-i-became-at-my-craft/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [I could never get a real good clear picture of what I could become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-could-never-get-a-real-good-clear-picture-of-what-i-could-become/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [I think what motivated me was just hope. Something inside of me, deep down in my guts, always felt like there was something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-think-what-motivated-me-was-just-hope-something-inside-of-me-deep/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [You never go into a season thinking you're going to strike out 200 guys or that you would have the most double-digit strikeout games…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/you-never-go-into-a-season-thinking-you-re-going-to-strike-out-200/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [The # knuckleball can be a metaphor of what it's like to let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/the-knuckleball-can-be-a-metaphor-of-what-it-s-like-to-let-go/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [I don't really feel much more confident than I did the last couple years. I've always felt like I have a pretty good knuckleball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-don-t-really-feel-much-more-confident-than-i-did-the-last-couple/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [Who doesn’t want a Cy Young Award? What kid didn’t grow up wanting to be the best? I’m no different. I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/who-doesn-t-want-a-cy-young-award-what-kid-didn-t-grow-up-wanting-to/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [Realistically, I shouldn't be able to turn a doorknob without having some discomfort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/realistically-i-shouldn-t-be-able-to-turn-a-doorknob-without-having/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [It's a pitch you can extend your career with because it's less taxing on your body. It's like dog years, but in reverse. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/it-s-a-pitch-you-can-extend-your-career-with-because-it-s-less-taxing/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [If you aren't willing to face your demons-if you can't find the courage to take on your fear and hurt and anger-you might as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/if-you-aren-t-willing-to-face-your-demons-if-you-can-t-find-the/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [I had a wife that did not want me to have a singular regret about chasing my dream, which helped me tremendously. I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-had-a-wife-that-did-not-want-me-to-have-a-singular-regret-about/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [There's been this steady metamorphosis from just surviving to being a craftsman and, ultimately, the hope is to be an artist in what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/there-s-been-this-steady-metamorphosis-from-just-surviving-to-being-a/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) [Explore all 24 R.A. Dickey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Out of sheer stubbornness, I just would keep going - just hoping that at some point something would click. I certainly held onto the hope that it might. 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