bloody-mindedness

I am sure that talent alone is not enough for a writer, - you also need extraordinary amounts of luck, determination, endurance and what the English call "bloody-mindedness".

An Interview with Simon Tolkein 2010

Legislation, industrial action, a greater emphasis on traditionally "female" skills, such as communication, and sheer bloody-mindedness all helped.

Young women are now earning more than men – that's not sexist, just fair | Gaby Hinsliff 2011

As far as I see in the US, there's a real problem with a system where the parties simply oppose each other out of sheer bloody-mindedness (or fear of losing their monetary support from lobby groups) or require huge barrels of pork to "sweeten deals" rather than actually wanting to improve the country.

Health Care at Last grrm 2010

Said it was only on loan to us in the first place (hell, they even tried to minimise the mileage on it because it was on loan – I used to take it out at every opportunity out of sheer bloody-mindedness.)

Chocolate Fireguards (Cars and Email) « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2009

Delving between the lines, Harman brings out the witty girl "hungry" for attention; the rejected novelist who perseveres to the point of "bloody-mindedness"; later an "assertive businesswoman" who finds her publisher a civil "Rogue."

New Ways Of Portraying Lives Lyndall Gordon 2011

With a smouldering disdain which could quickly turn to bloody-mindedness, the rams kept their composure, even though the odd knobbly bits on their foreheads were all that remained of horns and pride.

Country diary: Wenlock Edge 2011

On beyond the (spoilers!) death scene, it was Snape Dumbledore trusted as Headmaster because McGonagall was such an obvious target for the Death Eater party and would probably have gone down swinging in sheer Scots bloody-mindedness (I speak as a carrier of the gene.)

Chosen ones 2009

In all he has scored over 4,000 runs at an average that tips over 40, insufficient for those of massive talent but way beyond what others of similar ability but without his dedication and bloody-mindedness might achieve.

Battling and brave: Paul Collingwood retires from Test cricket 2011

The feeling, it must be said, was mutual but, fortunately, this encounter in his anonymous-looking office, above an estate agency in Hampstead - despite 60 hellish minutes which veered between awkwardness and outright bloody-mindedness - does have a happy, if somewhat unorthodox, ending.

Ginny Dougary: Ricky Gervais in His Most 'Postmodern' Interview Ever 2010

As prime minister he will need his considerable quantities of stamina, boldness, charm and bloody-mindedness.

Meet Britain's New Prime Minister 2010