Passion or Tenacity?

I just read another article where the author is telling their audience that success comes when you are, FIRST, passionate about what you do! Well, in the words of Inigo Montoya (the actor Mandy Patinkin), in the movie The Princess Bride, You Keep Using That Word. I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means.”

Being tenacious and being passionate are not the same.

No one thinks a soldier who fights on, who perseveres in the face of an insurmountable enemy, is necessarily desirous of the battle. He most likely has no passion for war or killing.

However, his character, being tested, proves there are things that, though he finds distasteful and even frightening, having vision for the end result, he concludes he will stand. He will fight on! His tenacity is his secret weapon.

Business is the same way. We must STOP telling people you only succeed when you are passionate for the business. You will succeed in it if, understanding how this work will solve your priorities, you realize your “stick-to-it-ness” means ultimate victory!

By the way, they were talking about restaurants and hair cutting salons. I have known many a success in each of those vertical markets who were neither foodies or stylists and yet their tenacity paid off and they got their good and just reward for ethics, character, solid operations and market positioning in business operations!

Having said that, it is also foolish to simply assume tenacity means success. We all define our own success differently. That is why understanding a franchise business Top Performers helps a franchise company replicate what drives the systems best; its business model.