Success is sweet and sweeter if achieved after numerous struggles and defeats, as a saying goes.

The mental toughness and sheer will to persevere and overcome obstacles to come out tops can be summed up in one pithy word: Grit. This is also the focus of The Peak Power List 2014. After a 10-month-long curation process, the identities of 10 Power List cover personalities for this month’s issue were unveiled last night at the Equinox Private Dining Room at Swissotel The Stamford hotel.

They are Lim Hock Chee of Sheng Siong Group, Derek Goh of Serial System, Catherine Lim of Scanteak, Eldwin Chua of Paradise Group, Steven Fang of CordLife, Chong Phit Lian of Singbridge, David Leong of PeopleWorldwide Consulting, Dennis Foo of St James Holdings, Adrian Tan of Ad Planet and David Chiem of MindChamps.

“Every story is inspiring,” says Jennifer Chen, editor of The Peak. “Obstacles to success come in all forms and are often unexpected – financial and political circumstances, economic downturns, disability… what distinguishes people who rise to the top is their resilience and the will to pull through. This is what our personalities have done.”

The Peak Power List has covered various themes over the years. In 2012, it was Soft Power, which advocates communication over autocratic leadership styles. Last year, it was New Power, featuring personalities under 40 years old, who are leading the charge in their respective industries.

This year, in conjunction with our 30th anniversary and in consultation with think tank Singapore Institute of International Affairs, we decided to focus on the Power of Grit. The theme, in a nutshell, allows us to investigate the back stories of successful men and women from a wide spectrum of industries, to glean insights and experiences that our readers can identify with and be inspired by.

Discover the mettle behind these 10 individuals in this month’s issue, available via Magzter.