Perseverance

     A baboon in South Africa refused to look at the camera. My dismay was fleeting; it barely moved the meter on the Richter scale of disappointment. 
     Last year the meter jumped. A rejection notice arrived from a literary agent. I had queried her about a novel I'd written.
     Nailing an effective photo is challenging. So is publishing a book. Perseverance keeps us going.
     Researcher Ellen Winner studied children with an aptitude for visual arts. She claimed they possessed a fierce determination to improve their abilities. She called this urge a 'rage to master.' Those kids didn't need parents to prod them along. They forged ahead on their own initiatives. 
     What about adults? Do late blooming photographers and writers possess a built-in motivation to succeed? Is their perseverance inherent or acquired?