dig one’s heels in—act firmly; refuse to yield:
- It is not an indication of my lack of ability, but rather a sign that it is time for me to dig my heels in and exert more effort.
dig oneself in —(also: dig in)
1. (of soldiers) dig a protective place for oneself:
- We were ordered to dig ourselves in and I can assure you that it did not take us long to dig our trench.
2. establish oneself securely; get oneself settled (in a new job, etc.):
- I am relatively new to the photography world although I’ve dug myself in and tried to improve as much as I can.