If

SOURCE:  "You'll Have to Beat Me First," Daily Stoic. November 18, 2019. 
KEYWORDS:  resistance, perseverance, courage, hope, stubborn, tenacity, determination

"There is a famous moment in the history of Sparta, when they were threatened with invasion by Phillip, King of Macedon. Phillip, whose son was Alexander the Great, demanded the submission of the Spartans. It would be better to submit to him now, he said, because "If I conquer your city, I will destroy you all."

The Spartans’ reply to this was just one word: “If.”

They were not the kind of people who gave up easily, even in the face of incredible odds, because they believed in their own capabilities. If they had even a 1% chance of persevering, they were willing to take it. They weren’t going to lay down their arms without a fight—you were going to have to come and take them."