We think of persistence as requiring discipline and commitment against compelling incentives to stop or stand down. While we think of stubbornness as an effortless commitment to an action or stance, requiring discipline to resist. What is Creator’s perspective?

We would say this is the contest between the individual and the collective of persons they interact with and the potential differences in perspectives and beliefs about a circumstance. To be sure, there are people who have quite rigid views and whose first reaction might always be to say "no." We would see that as a definite flaw in character that represents a kind of distortion, to always expect the worst of change and potential consequences, and not being open to new possibilities that could promote growth and add significantly to the life experience. The rigid naysayer closes themselves off from change and this can be protective and represents inner persistence but it is, in effect, a kind of prison that locks a person in place and will, in the end, prevent much growth from taking part in life many times when it can be done with little personal risk and much to be gained to try out new things and interact with people as a compatriot, at least for a time, to gain more awareness of what they might be about and learn whether they truly are inviting participation in something that will further expand their awareness, and be a good thing. A stubbornness that refuses to try anything new or different can be quite stultifying and will be quite limiting to the individual. At the other extreme is a person who is prone to throwing caution to the wind, who will be up for anything, willing to try whatever someone suggests. Such individuals have a kind of need for excitement, a sort of thrill-seeking in which novelty is stimulating even as it might be somewhat stressful. They are like adrenaline junkies who thrive on taking inordinate risks because then they really feel alive. Leaning in that direction is not necessarily wrong or even harmful. Some of the greatest advances in human culture have come from people who will embark on a bold initiative no matter what others think, and it is a hallmark of leaders to be in the vanguard in this way. In that sense, they are showing a perseverance in their embracing of new thoughts and possibilities, and not letting themselves be guided by or constrained by those stubbornly resisting a new initiative. So these are simply additional descriptions of the consequences of these choices in various contexts, showing their importance as guideposts and indicators of where one might be on a range of consequences from positive to negative in making day-to-day choices in how one engages with life using their energy, or chooses to stand aside. It is always important to keep in mind that every choice one makes has a consequence. Being inactive is a choice that has consequences every bit as much as rushing out the door to go on a wild ride not knowing what might take place with a group of individuals who are excited and in a volatile frame of mind and are seeking excitement—like a group of teenagers heading out with a newly received driver’s license and wanting to have some fun. There are many opportunities in life where people take undue risks for a moment of exhilaration and end up harming themselves in the process. But keep in mind those tragic events are greatly outweighed by people taking on new choices to plunge into the pool, so to speak, not knowing for sure what might happen, but who gain from the experience because they can use their wits and their good sense and their instincts for self‑preservation along the way to keep things from getting out of hand and escalating with respect to risk. So what needs to be included in the discussion here is a question of flexibility. Many people who are stubborn exhibit that behavior as a consequence of inner rigidity. So everything is a question of balance. Persistence can be stultifying and life-limiting even though it might be protective.