Stanford doctors switched on the urge to push through with one tiny pulse.
The will to persevere is the inner push to keep going when a challenge is coming and you know it’ll be hard. In 2013, Stanford scientists found they could spark this feeling for a few seconds by gently stimulating one small brain area, the anterior midcingulate cortex.
Andrew Huberman told this story to David Goggins on the Huberman Lab podcast. Here’s what happened in that experiment, what it does and doesn’t prove, and how you can call up the same feeling in your own life.
What is the will to persevere?
The will to persevere is a felt sense of determination to push through an expected challenge, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s the feeling behind “I’m not giving up.”
Most of us know it from real life. It’s the second wind near the end of a long hike. It’s the calm, set jaw before a hard conversation. It’s what carries a parent through a sleepless night with a sick child.
For a long time, scientists could only study this feeling from the outside, by watching what people did. The 2013 study was special because it let people describe it from the inside, in their own words.
What happened in the Stanford brain stimulation study?
Stanford neurologist Josef Parvizi and his team gave tiny electrical pulses to the anterior midcingulate cortex of 2 patients, and both felt a sudden, determined urge to face a challenge. The study was published in the journal Neuron.
The 2 patients had epilepsy. They already had electrodes placed in their brains so doctors could find where their seizures started. That gave the team a rare, safe chance to test what this area does.
Here’s what the patients reported:
- Patient 1 said it felt like driving toward a storm and needing to “push harder.” He described it as a positive feeling.
- Patient 2 said he felt worried that something bad was coming, yet also sure that he “can’t give up.”
- Both had their heart rates jump, from about 77 to 92 and from 81 to 94 beats per minute, with shaky or warm feelings in the chest.
- Fake stimulation, with the current turned off, produced nothing at all.
Huberman shared a version of this on the podcast. He said the patients felt a storm coming, and rather than feeling scared, they wanted to go through it.
What does this experiment prove, and what doesn’t it?
The experiment shows that one brain area can create the feeling of determination, but it doesn’t prove that this area is the whole source of grit. It’s a powerful clue, not the final word.
This table sorts what we can and can’t take from it.
| Claim | Supported? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| This brain area can trigger determination | Yes, in 2 people | Both felt it, and fake stimulation did nothing |
| It’s a hub for tenacity | Likely | A 2020 Harvard review describes it as a key hub for pushing toward goals |
| It works the same in everyone | Unknown | Only 2 patients, both with epilepsy |
| You can grow it with hard choices | Possible, not proven | Brain scans show links, not clear cause and effect |
| Stimulation is a way to build grit | No | This was a medical test, not a treatment |
The 2020 review “The tenacious brain,” by Alexandra Touroutoglou, Lisa Feldman Barrett, and colleagues, backs up the bigger picture. It describes the anterior midcingulate cortex as a hub that weighs how much energy a goal is worth. That fits beautifully with what the patients felt.
Is grit something you’re born with?
Grit is partly a stable trait and partly a skill, and the part that matters most, keeping up effort, can be practiced. The science here is more mixed than popular books suggest.
Psychologist Angela Duckworth made grit famous as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” Later, a large 2017 review in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology looked at data from more than 66,000 people. Marcus Credé and his team found grit overlaps heavily with conscientiousness, a well-known personality trait. They also found that the “keep up your effort” part of grit predicted results better than the “stay interested” part.
That’s good news. You don’t need to feel passionate every day. You need to keep showing up. David Goggins made a similar point on the podcast when he said he doesn’t run because he loves it. He runs because he hates it, and that’s the training.
How can you call up the will to persevere yourself?
You can call up this feeling by naming the challenge ahead, reframing your racing heart as readiness, and taking the first step before doubt grows louder. You don’t need electrodes to reach the same state.
- Name the storm. Say plainly what’s hard: “This call will be uncomfortable.” The patients’ determination came with a clear sense that a challenge was near.
- Read your body as fuel. A pounding heart and warm chest showed up with determination in the study. Tell yourself, “My body is getting ready.”
- Recall a past win. Think of 1 time you pushed through something hard. Goggins calls this his internal “medicine cabinet” of proof.
- Take the first step in under 1 minute. Momentum strengthens the feeling. Waiting weakens it.
- Finish, then rest. Perseverance is a rhythm of push and recover, not a nonstop sprint.
Fear often shows up alongside determination. If it’s the fear that stops you, our guide on fear of failure walks you through gentle, practical steps.
Frequently asked questions
What part of the brain controls perseverance?
The anterior midcingulate cortex is strongly linked to perseverance. Stimulating it gave 2 Stanford patients a sudden will to push through a challenge, and a 2020 review calls it a hub for tenacity.
Who did the will to persevere study?
Josef Parvizi and his team at Stanford University published the study in the journal Neuron in 2013. They stimulated the anterior midcingulate cortex in 2 epilepsy patients who already had brain electrodes.
Can you build perseverance?
Yes, the effort part of grit appears to respond to practice. Choosing small hard tasks, reframing stress as readiness, and recalling past wins all help you keep going when things get tough.
Is grit the same as willpower?
They’re close cousins. Willpower is choosing effort in the moment, while grit is keeping that effort going toward a long-term goal over months or years.
Why does my heart race before a challenge?
A racing heart is your body getting ready to act. In the Stanford study, heart rates rose along with the feeling of determination, so that rush can be a sign of readiness, not only fear.
The storm you feel coming may be the very thing that makes you stronger. The universe keeps sending you signs. Get one in your inbox every morning → For more on turning inner resolve into real results, read our guide on how to manifest.