[timdellinger]

I'm a day late to the comments, but...

I like the lens of the Big Five model of personality. I think what's at play here is

(1) Low neuroticism = resilient and confident

(2) Low agreeableness = willing to go against the prevailing tide

and then you need

(3) high openness = inventive/curious

The first two personality traits without the third = stubborn

Add the third = persistent

(some people don't even need #2 to be stubborn, when they consider their tribe to be correct even if it goes against prevailing thought in the broader world)