Hillsdale College

Steadfastness

Cling to what is good in the midst of sorrow and adversity.

StoriesPoemsLives of Virtue

Steadfastness is the moral virtue that enables one to endure physical and moral suffering without becoming unreasonably discouraged or overwhelmed. Through the habit of steadfastness, reason governs the passion of sorrow, ensuring that one neither endures evils unnecessarily through a lack of feeling, nor fails to strive for difficult goods through inordinate sadness or despair.

For Grades K-2:

The virtue of steadfastness gives us the strength to keep going and keep striving for good things, even when we feel sad, tired, or discouraged. 

For Grades 3-6:

The virtue of steadfastness gives us the inner strength to endure hardship and suffering without being overcome by sorrow or discouragement. Steadfastness keeps us striving for what is good even when life is difficult or painful. 

Related Virtues

Courage

Magnanimity
Perseverance

Featured Stories

The Velveteen RabbitMargery Williams
Grade K-2

Story

The Thanksgiving StoryAlice Dalgliesh
Grade K-2

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Charlotte’s WebE.B. White
Grade 2-3

Story

The Lion, the Witch, and the WardrobeC.S. Lewis
Grade 3-5

Story

The Princess and the GoblinGeorge MacDonald
Grade 3-5

Story

Anne of Green GablesL. M. Montgomery
Grade 4-6

Story

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Featured Biographies

Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher ColumbusPeter Sis
Grade K-3

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Amos Fortune, Free ManElizabeth Yates
Grade 5-8

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Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of IndependenceNeil Gorsuch
Grade K-3

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ColumbusIngri d'Aulaire
Grade 3-5

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​Eleanor Roosevelt: Her Path to KindnessHelaine Becker
Grade K-2

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A Picture Book of Eleanor RooseveltDavid A. Adler
Grade K-3

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Poems about Steadfastness

Courage! What if the snows are deep, And what if the hills are long and steep

Courage
By Unknown Author
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“Hope” is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul -

"Hope" is the thing with feathers
By Emily Dickinson
Read More of "Hope" is the thing with feathers

Behind him lay the gray Azores, Behind the Gates of Hercules...

Columbus
By Joaquin Miller
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And when Peace here does house He comes with work to do...

Peace
By Gerard Manley Hopkins
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A violet by a mossy stone half hidden from the eye!

She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways
By William Wordsworth
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This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong, To love that well which thou must leave ere long.

Sonnet #73
By William Shakespeare
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They all were looking for a king...

The Holy Thing
By George MacDonald
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The Road goes ever on and on...

The Road Goes Ever On
By J. R. R. Tolkien
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I remember the dazed starling...

The Writer
By Richard Wilbur
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Lives of Virtue

Frederick DouglassFor his unflinching honesty in sharing his life experience, for his courage in escaping injustice, and for his relentless pursuit of justice, Frederick Douglass exemplifies moral virtue.  
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln exemplified virtue through his steadfast commitment to justice and the preservation of the Union, guiding the nation with moral clarity and courage during its darkest hours.
Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. AnthonySusan B. Anthony tirelessly advocated for women's suffrage and equality with unwavering courage and moral conviction.
Clara Barton
Clara BartonClara Barton, driven by compassion and courage, founded the American Red Cross and tirelessly devoted her life to providing aid and comfort to those in crisis, embodying selflessness and resilience in the face of adversity.
More Lives of Virtue