The struggle. A new competitor fills the WSJ columns, you panic, employees leave. Your software breaks after the latest release of Apple’s operating system. Then your wife leaves you and, to make matters worse, your blood pressure spirals out of control. What a nightmare, but how, how in hell are you going to get out of this?

The struggle, a trail that includes a seeming infinite list of trials and tribulations is very, very manageable. Whether we are talking about a startup with 10 people or a corporation with thousands of employees, the stresses of life can be tamed readily. The key is persistence.

You need to map out the events in your surroundings. You need to put it in paper, to gain some distance from your problems while shifting your perception of events. People deal all the time with new events, health issues and major industry developments. The best at navigating these shifts are persistent, diligent and very methodical. If you develop a routine, a toolkit and appropriate social connections your personal power can very well raise above the most seemingly daunting problems.

The key is persistence but not of endurance. The key is persistence in learning. Getting smarter every day until you finally get it.