Teachers struggle to reach all students and to lead them to mastery of the various disciplines they teach. However, only a few student display persistence and tenacity to accomplish academic assignments and goals set by teachers, schools, and districts. This paper explores the concept of persistence and how to develop persistence in students. Included are four texts by Edward Deci (internal motivation), Carol Dweck (mindset), Angela Duckworth (grit), and Daniel Pink (drive) which shed light on the characteristics of persistence and suggest strategies for teaching students how to recognize and develop persistence. Four concluding suggestions are made for transforming learning environments for the development of passion and persistence in learners. Also included is the Rubric for Learner Behavior delineating learning environment practices of successfully engaged students.