Persistence trumps talent and looks every time.

The line asserts a hierarchy of advantages: sustained effort and follow-through (“persistence”) ultimately outweigh innate ability (“talent”) and superficial social capital (“looks”). Its force comes from the absolutist “every time,” framing persistence as the most reliable predictor of achievement across domains where initial gifts can plateau without discipline. Implicitly, it challenges merit myths that over-credit natural brilliance or charisma, emphasizing instead habits—showing up, iterating, enduring setbacks—as the compounding mechanism that converts potential into results. As a motivational maxim, it also offers an egalitarian consolation: persistence is more controllable than talent or appearance, making success feel more accessible through deliberate practice and resilience.