Years ago, I worked as a sales consultant in one of the known insurance companies here in the Philippines. My job was to persuade clients to sign up for an insurance policy from our company. I’d introduce our endowment policy through a one-on-one presentation. At the end of the presentation, I’d ask the clients if they would like to start the “savings plan.” 

The difference between our insurance company from other insurance companies is that we (sales consultants) would convince the clients to “invest” in their future right at that moment. Our pitch would emphasize the value of time—that there’s no better time to secure one’s future than today.

I’d feel lucky if I’d get a client who would say yes to my offer immediately. But a client like this would only come once in maybe hundreds of clients. The other 99 prospects would have objections. And the moment I would hear the words, “It seems a good investment, but…” my mind would start to wonder about the possible ways to handle their unuttered objections—from “I have no money.” to “I have to ask my husband about this.”  

I was trained to handle all types of objections because it’s part of the job. Frankly, I was stubborn. I wouldn’t let go of the clients until I’d hear them say either YES to the plan or NO for at least three times. I would hold up the client until I could feel there’s a possibility they’d say yes or till they’d get irritated or walk out on me. Clients walking out was a common occurrence at our office. It had made me feel bad at first, but funnily, I got used to it and it never bothered me in the long run. 

Now that I recall it, I would say I was stubborn to the core. And I can attest this was the reason I had closed several deals in that company and got an award for the best team. (I was a team leader then.) I’d give credit to my stubbornness for thriving in that job. 

What I want to prove is that stubbornness isn’t always a bad and a negative thing. I think its negative notion came from kids throwing tantrums and being “stubborn” whenever their parents won’t give what they want. Nevertheless, a headstrong attitude can be positive. When you’re older, you need more of this stubbornness to achieve your goals and be a better person. How? 

 Why Having a Stubborn Attitude is Good for You

Before you judge yourself for being a pain in the bum because of your willful attitude, here are the reasons why stubbornness can be helpful. 

1. When you’re stubborn, the word quit doesn’t apply to you. 

The path that leads to our dreams isn’t one that’s full of red rose petals, but one that’s full of sacrifices and heartbreaks. People who quit their goals easily are often people who don’t have a “strong will” to stay standing after they topple over many times. 

When you’re stubborn, the most challenging thing for you isn’t accepting the pain and making sacrifices for your dreams, but it’s giving up. And in many situations, if you’re stubborn, the word quit is almost nonexistent in your dictionary.

2. When you’re stubborn, you’re not easily swayed by other people.

We’ve been conditioned since we’re young that the more friends we have, the better life we’ll live. We’ve been taught that to survive; we need to be a part of a pack, a community, or a team, which is true. But, some people have taken this wisdom far to the point that they discard their identity to be accepted by society or the larger crowd.

It’s different for stubborn people. They aren’t swayed easily. They stand their ground and fight for what they believe in with all their heart. Even if what they believe contradicts the ideals of society. Sometimes, others may find this attitude annoying, but this world needs people who have strong convictions—strong enough that they don’t thrive because the mainstream approves it, but because they stubbornly decide to do so.

3. Stubborn people are better decision-makers. 

 Lastly, what makes stubborn people better decision-makers is they stand by their decisions. Not many people can do this. Of course, all of us can make a decision, but not all can’t stick to it. 

Stubborn people don’t look back once they’ve made a decision, even if this decision isn’t the most favorable for them. When things go south, they just take a forward course but never go back on what’s been decided. For this reason, they make good leaders and are appreciated by a lot of people.

Final Thoughts

You may be stubborn, but you shouldn’t feel negative about it. Instead, embrace it and make it a weapon to overcome the obstacles in life. 

In the eyes of other people, your headstrong attitude may be agitating, but it will benefit your life. When you’re stubborn, it only means you know what you want, what you believe in, and what you should be, so no amount of persuasion or seduction can bribe you to change who you are.  When you’re stubborn, you know your real you, and you refuse other people to paint their colors on you.