The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results. Einstein said that. It's often quoted, but has no context. (It's also credited to Mark Twain, Ben Franklin, an ancient Chinese proverb, and Alcoholics Anonymous).
You could also say that perseverance is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results. According to Merriam-Webster the definitions are similar:
The difference in the two words is in the process. Perseverance involves iterating on the process, while insanity involves doing the exact same thing over and over.
When dealing with difficulty or uncertainty, most people will give up. They'll view continuing as pointless. Some will continue. Perseverance means trying new things to get through the difficulty or uncertainty – it involves embracing the confusion, walking around it, and looking at it from different angles. Insanity involves looking at the confusion from the same angle over and over.
You could also say that perseverance is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results. According to Merriam-Webster the definitions are similar:
- Perseverance: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties
- Insanity: extreme folly or unreasonablenessFor example, you could say that someone with perseverance is being "unreasonable". And you could also say that an insane person "continues to exert effort despite difficulties".
The difference in the two words is in the process. Perseverance involves iterating on the process, while insanity involves doing the exact same thing over and over.
If
you continue to hammer a nail with a screwdriver and expect it to
work, that is insanity. If you try a screwdriver, then a wrench,
then pliers, tape measure, flashlight, then a hammer ... and the hammer works,
that is perseverance. The process is different.