what does it mean to persevere? Is it when you fail and try again? Or is it when you fail twice and still come back? well.. to try again is nice, admirable but multiply that by a thousand and a thousand more, in fact as many times as necessary, maybe even infinity. when you have it clear in your mind that the only way out is through… that! my dear friends and friends, that is perseverance.
wow! I never thought of myself as the serious guy who gives speeches before battle. Seriously guys, I’m just a tattoo blogger and speaking of which, let’s talk about some cool ways to get tattooed that show the world that we persevere.
meaning of perseverance tattoo designs
For such a non-specific topic, the options are endless. what “perseverance” means to one person might mean “a fairytale castle” to another. It’s all pretty personal if you ask me, but I’m here to help you out and present a variety of different ideas so you can make an informed decision on what your next tattoo will be. after all, it is a smart decision to think well about your tattoo. they don’t come off that easily.
here is 90s groove metal band leader phil anselmo sporting a “strength” tattoo on his skull like a boss-
Now, he’s persevered through a lot of shit and with a tough guy like him, one can only imagine what it must have been like. everyone can probably consider writing “perseverance” on the side of their head, but spend some time deciding on the font size, the word is a bit long, you don’t want to start big and then have to scribble and wiggle the rest of the letters later when you run out of skull to tattoo. tattoos are not easily removed.
jack london is one of the most important authors in history (at least for me). “call of the wild” has been an essential in our home since he was a little boy. “white fang” and “savage call” are revered literary classics. Early in his career, London submitted his first story more than 600 times before it was accepted by a publisher. Now that is perseverance! any kind of reference to jack or the characters in his books could be a great idea for a “perseverance” tattoo. fun fact about jack, he was present and alive at the time the sport of surfing was discovered. It is even rumored that he tried it out and caught some waves. catching waves is difficult. On my recent surf trip, I only caught about 30 waves out of 200 attempts.
The wawa aba is one of the adinkra symbols. the name literally means “wawa tree seed” and the symbol means “strength, toughness and perseverance”. Adinkra are Ghanaian symbols that represent concepts or aphorisms. they are used extensively in fabrics, logos, ceramics, and are incorporated into walls and other architectural features. a great idea for a tattoo, if you ask me. it’s small, it’s easy to make, it’s easy to make with you, and simple shapes strangely exude a lot of power.
ideas for perseverance tattoo designs
let’s start with some cool drawings and ideas that could be our tattoo
here is a good message that is not a bad idea for a constant reminder that stays in your body forever. flowers in different stages of bloom are a great representation of growth and metamorphosis.
the infinite flower: the simple shape of the leaves and the growing points that come out of the flower signify continuity and the cyclical nature that is part of people who persevere.
another simple but effective design. the sun, although a finite source of energy (scientifically speaking) is a fairly infinite entity with respect to our existence. Along with the moon, this tattoo means balance and infinity. interestingly, the moon is placed inside a ‘comma’ and ‘commas’, by definition, are always used to make a short pause and never to end a sentence. this is a very subtle clue to convey continuity and also makes it important to take short breaks during our constant routine.
This one is pretty obvious. In fact, getting waves tattooed on your body is a great idea any day of the week. I would too, if I didn’t have that aversion to needles we discussed in the last article. besides, this is a pretty strong statement and affirmations are ‘in’ these days and they just happen to work.
a dna molecule transforming into a cherry tree in blossom with mountains and rivers and mother nature intertwined with the helix. the artist here has really done something that people will want to see again and again. isn’t that the point of art really? wanting to look at it over and over again, like getting lost in it. the message here is rather cleverly hidden. a great piece to get, perseverance or not.
a cheetah climbing over a cliff with a lone tree and a red sun as a backdrop, the images here are so striking. the predatory cat pose speaks of victory and a primal hunger for success. while all the other ideas so far have been “in the hope of…” or “during the fight for…” this piece here means “arrival” and that’s another approach to take when looking for a tattoo of ” perseverance”. . Another thing to keep in mind here is the tricolor scheme, which is a very practical and effective palette for tattoos that have color. this will look good on almost all skin tones.
where should you get perseverance tattoo designs?
Do you guys really need a guide for this? kidding. here are some places in case you forgot that you also had spaces between your fingers, you know… to write things.
for women
- ankle
- wrist
- toe slots
- hands
- shoulders
- back the ears
for men
- chest
- biceps
- legs
- neck
- back
- forearms
list of tattoo designs of perseverance & meanings
- the arm that perseveres
If you’re horny like the guy in the picture here, a forearm tattoo is for you. this font has a considerable amount of flair and you can’t go wrong with the simplicity of just using the word in question.
- wings to the rescue
an eagle or any other predatory bird is a symbol of power. wings drawn on a muscular back make a lot of sense because the lats (latissimus dorsi) themselves are our wings in a way. Add to that a caption you like, in this case “perseverance,” and you’ve got a solid back tattoo that’s sure to turn heads when you take off your shirt at the beach next time.
- the message of the doll
there is something on the inside of the wrist that makes it a great place for a meaningful tattoo. perhaps it is the fact that the very vessels that sustain our lives run just below this thin patch of skin and are clearly visible. or the fact that many people struggling with their personal demons contemplate ending it all with a deadly little cut in the area that makes a simple tattoo like ‘cont; nue’ be a message that could one day save a life. If you are someone who is going through some things, I urge you to seek professional help. It gets better, I promise! Besides, who’s going to read these silly messages of mine if you decide to end the session prematurely?
then, continue.
- the winning tattoo of the contest
Things got a little rough back there, I had to share this adventurous piece. what can be said about this tattoo that he isn’t already saying!? the informal cursive handwritten font and its placement is what makes this tattoo quite a witty experience.
- never back down
tough guys representing. the message is clear, although the quirky font probably has too many curvy lines and squiggles, quite a low-rider aesthetic in a way, but it works.
- desi motivation
“charhhdi kala” roughly translates to “an ever-hopeful spirit/positive disposition.” as a punjabi this tattoo is close to my heart in many ways. from hearing the phrase countless times in our sacred texts to hearing village elders use it as a response to “hello?” from a native partner to many of us, this will encompass a lot of emotion and a good deal of nostalgia phrase. however, if you decide to get this tattoo, do it in a place where it is less likely to hurt the feelings of people who follow this faith, after all, it is part of a religious text.
- the typewritten promise
a solemn promise to oneself. done in the unobtrusive font that is a typewriter’s handwriting. “still I Rise.” it’s a reminder that whatever you are, whoever you are and come what may. I keep going up.
- toe gap reminder
A small, easy-to-get token of positivity that will get you through a tough time and never have to go through any tough times. that the only times you pass are a little inconvenient, but never more than that.
- the infinite loop of force
stay strong, persevere and succeed! Another great wrist tattoo idea.
- the simple but beautiful
the lowercase cursive handwriting on the outside of the thigh gives off such a delicate vibe. get this tattoo and keep looking at yourself in the mirror whenever you can.
- the simple but beautiful (2)
same, but on the back left shoulder, it will make asymmetrical/cold shoulder tops look even more exciting when you wear them.
- anselm’s revenge
phil returns in the form of his “unscarred” lower torso tattoo. this tattoo is legendary, i spent my teenage years bingeing on panther music videos and this tattoo is etched in my memory like the notches robinson crusoe carved into his calendar log to keep track of the days he was marooned on that island.
here’s another pic, a proper view of the tattoo-
- Japanese revenge
They don’t make them like they used to. while ‘perseverance’ is not the main quality of a kamikaze pilot (suicide pilot), the kamikaze reference works for us in our quest for the perfect ‘perseverance’ tattoo, as it means “seeing a task through to the end”. “very final” spirit, that is, total commitment.
- Japanese revenge (2)
another kamikaze tattoo design you can take inspiration from.
- Japanese revenge (3)
The vast amount of training it took to become a samurai in their glory days is testimony enough to how much they had to persevere.
- the samurai torso
A samurai tattoo across the entire side of the torso is a great tattoo idea, one of my favorites from today’s post. the intricate detail really makes it stand out.
- the last samurai
This one is pretty heartbreaking. As the samurai continues to stand with a full quiver of arrows emptied into him, this is a strong yet graphic message.
- the vague message
henry ford innovated industrial production with the introduction of the assembly line. However, before founding the extremely successful Ford Motor Company, he was bankrupt and broke 5 times due to failed ventures. Now, that’s a real-life example of uncompromising perseverance paying off in our times (well, almost… the Model T came out about 120 years ago). this chest piece with its cheeky legend (built without your tax money since 1903) is a cool tattoo idea and its placement is appropriate too.
- the volleyball of hope
(spoiler alert!)
if you’ve seen the movie castaway (2000) you’ll know wilson, the volleyball with the red face painted to keep tom hanks’ character company and frankly his sanity while marooned on that unknown island for four years. he must have required some military-grade “perseverance” to stay alive long enough to run into a stray ship that might pick up his signal.
art depicting the key elements of the film.
wilson, the good-natured volleyball player and friend.
- pure perseverance
van gogh’s starry night is among the most recognized paintings. throughout the artist’s life, he only sold one painting to a close friend. that didn’t stop him from painting more than 800 other pieces while he starved and often destitute. Today, van Gogh’s “unappreciated” work sells for hundreds of millions of dollars. that! it is perseverance for perseverance’s sake, the sheer urge to create. A tattoo to celebrate the spirit of him is definitely a good idea.
here are some interesting examples-
the starry night artwork but inside a heart and a tree growing out of it. very pretty.
a very steampunk interpretation of van gogh’s face with his most famous painting and matching colors that make up this work of art.
and with that we come to the end of this post. I have to be honest with you, this was a challenging topic, tattoos about perseverance!? what does that mean eva- how? what!!?? but I feel like I put together some useful information that can help you decide which tattoo to get to express your ‘persevere’ now I hate this word. let’s call it “your undying spirit” yes! -express “your undying spirit” in the most elegant and personal way possible.
As always, be creative and have a nice day.
