3 of 7,6954 Lessons in Endurance: What Cory Booker Taught Me

Earlier this week, I watched something I won't soon forget: Senator Cory Booker spoke on the Senate floor for 25 hours straight. Yes, 25. According to Senate rules, Booker could not sit down, stray from the podium, or take bathroom breaks. His only respite was when other Senators asked him questions. While he couldn't sit down, he could physically stop speaking as they delivered remarks. In short, the Senator stood up, quite literally, for those being harmed by what he called the “relentless cruelty of the Trump administration, which has impacted nations globally. In speaking, Booker broke the record previously held by Senator Strom Thurmond, an ardent segregationist. For context, Thurmond infamously spoke, sometimes even reading the phone book to pass the time, for 24 hours and 18 minutes in 1957 in a failed attempt to block the Civil Rights Act—not to advance justice, but to prevent it. In contrast, Booker's feat wasn't to deny justice; it was to defend it. In the process, he demonstrated four critical elements we all need to endure hardship and achieve our goals.

Whether your challenge is personal, professional, or political, these four things can serve each of us in moments when we're called to do something hard, new, or deeply meaningful:

1. Purpose – Booker kept his “why” at the forefront of his mind. He didn't take to the mic just for the airtime; it was with clarity of purpose and a specific goal in mind.

2. People – He didn't do it alone. Senator Chris Murphy stayed up with Booker the entire 25 hours, and in “the midnight hour” when Booker began to falter, Murphy stepped in to ask a question to give him a moment of rest. Booker also spoke of Angela Alsobrooks (shout out to my Senator!) and Lisa Blunt Rochester, the third and fourth Black women elected to the Senate in the entire history of the US. He talked about the fact that they pray with him, stand by him, and support him. That type of community is priceless when you are pursuing your purpose.

3. Preparation – When asked how he didn't take a bathroom break for over 25 hours, Booker said he fasted and dehydrated himself days in advance. He emptied his pockets, bringing only what he needed, coming equipped with facts, scripture, and lived experience. Beyond his physical preparation, Booker's team also prepared, creating binders of information, collecting testimonials, and supplying the Senator with hours upon hours of substantive content. Honestly, preparation isn't always glamorous (case in point: the TMI about bathroom breaks above), but it's what enables us to meet the moment.

4. Perseverance – And finally, perseverance. Sometimes, the only way forward is through. No magic. No shortcuts. Just one word after another. One moment at a time. But when you've got purpose, people, and are prepared, anything is possible.

So, what's the challenge before you now? What are you preparing for? And who's walking with you? Whether it's a shift in your career or a season of uncertainty, if you're looking for support, consider coaching. Book a discovery call today.