A Fast Company Press book

Unlock your inner strength and become unstoppable—no matter the odds.

Are you tired of hitting walls, both in your personal life and career, without knowing how to bounce back stronger? Dr. Lamell McMorris knows what it’s like to rise from adversity. Growing up in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago, Lamell faced life-threatening violence and roadblocks every day. But through resilience and determination, he turned his hardships into a blueprint for success.

Now, Lamell offers strategic insights to top leaders in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors and uses his success to inspire and impact others. Whether he’s working alongside powerful corporate and business leaders or famous civil rights leaders to help make policy change, personally lending a hand to everyday folks who need it most, or actively developing his childhood neighborhood where his mother still lives, Lamell has built a reputation for high-impact advocacy, entrepreneurial leadership, and unmatched resilience.

In The Power to Persist, Lamell shares the eight powerful and proven habits that fueled his rise: attitude, work ethic, agility, vulnerability, network, focus, dogged determination, and faith. Lamell shows how he used these habits to turn his struggles into powerful lessons for overcoming adversity—and how you can too. Whether you’re navigating personal challenges, scaling your career, reflecting on where you’ve been, or wondering how you can do better moving forward, these habits will give you the tools to bounce back stronger, win big, and transform obstacles into opportunities. No matter what life throws your way, this book will show you how to turn setbacks into victories and achieve lasting success.