Thought of the Day: To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. — Tennyson

November 6, 2025

There’s something quietly powerful about Tennyson’s words. They sound like they belong carved into stone somewhere, maybe on a mountain, or on the heart of someone who’s been through a few storms.

“To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”

It’s not a battle cry. It’s not loud or angry. It’s a whisper to keep going, a kind of soft defiance that doesn’t need to shout to be strong.

I think we often confuse “not yielding” with bulldozing through life, refusing to rest or admit weakness. But that’s not what this line is about. It’s about endurance, yes, but it’s also about purpose. The striving, the seeking, and the finding are all verbs of movement, a reminder that life isn’t static. It’s about the ongoing act of being alive, curious, and willing to keep moving forward even when progress feels invisible.

The truth is, we all yield more often than we’d like to admit. We yield to fear. To doubt. To the comfort of the couch when we swore we’d go for a run. We yield to the little voice that says, “What’s the point?” But every once in a while, something in us pushes back, the part that still wants to see what happens if we just keep showing up.

That’s where Tennyson’s line lands for me: in those small, quiet choices that no one else sees. Getting up earlier than you want to. Trying again after failing. Speaking up when it’s easier to stay silent. It’s the courage to stay in motion when everything in you wants to stop.

And honestly? Sometimes “not yielding” looks less like heroism and more like stubborn hope.

It’s the parent who’s exhausted but still shows up for bedtime stories.

It’s the creator who keeps hitting “publish” even when the stats are discouraging.

It’s the person who keeps loving, even after being hurt.

There’s something deeply human in that, the decision to keep going without a guarantee. To strive. To seek. To find. And not to yield.

It’s November now, that reflective stretch of the year when we take stock of what’s gone right, what’s gone wrong, and what’s still worth fighting for. Maybe “not yielding” doesn’t mean sprinting toward some big goal. Maybe it just means refusing to let the spark go out before the year ends.

So whatever you’re striving for, a dream, a connection, a little peace of mind, keep going. Even slowly. Even quietly. Because persistence doesn’t have to roar. Sometimes it just hums along in the background, whispering: you’re still here, and that matters.

🧠 Read the full blog post where I explore this Thought of the Day and the Question of the Day

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