The 1-2 Punch of Success... Energy and Passion

The most essential factor is persistence - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm (passion) to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come.

James Whitcomb Riley

When you have the energy to fuel your passion, success is sure to follow. The 1-2 punch of energy and passion is the key to success in life. In order to be successful in any endeavor you will need to overcome much discouragement, frustration and failure, and the key to rising above these things is energy and passion. That is why I always say that “Energy is the fuel to ignite passion and passion is the engine of success!”

In the movie Cinderella Man, Russell Crowe plays a down and out boxer that makes a dramatic comeback. The backdrop to this movie is the great depression and previous to the great depression Crowe’s character, Jimmy Braddock was a champion boxer that lost his way. After his comeback a reporter asks him, “You have lost before, what’s the difference this time?” Jimmy Braddock then answers, “I know what I’m fighting for.” The reporter follows up with, “And what’s that?” and Jimmy comes back with what I feel is the most memorable and inspiring line in the whole movie, he simply says, “Milk.” That says it all; now he knew why he was fighting. He was fighting to feed his kids. He was able to look defeat straight in the face and say, “Okay, one more round.” He was able to overcome failure because he had the energy and passion to achieve his goal of putting milk on the table. I feel this is the story of America. A spirited passion for a worthy goal that will let nothing stand in her way. “Okay, let’s go one more round” was the unspoken mantra for generations of Americans and what has made America the greatest country in the world.

The 1–2 punch of energy and passion is the key to success in your career as well as your life. People can feel your energy and passion. Our job is to “sell” people on what we know will help them and you can’t do that by being lethargic.

Many years ago when I got started in sales, I didn’t know how to sell but I was passionate and energetic. One of my first clients told me that as my skill increases it is natural for my passion to wane. He told me the key to my success will lie in my passion and if I can combine an infectious passion with proven sales skills, I will always be a top producing sales person. Was he right! Isn’t that what Mr. Ziglar has been teaching us for years? If we present our message with an infectious passion and conviction combined with a high level of energy, it will speak volumes to our prospects and “sell” them on taking action by using the best person in town…YOU!

Put the 1-2 punch of energy and passion to work in your life so you can live the life of your dreams!

John M. Rowley is the pioneer in combining peak performance principles with physical and spiritual disciplines for complete and lasting success. He is the author of Climb Your Ladder of Success: Without Running Out of Gas. For more information about John, visit his website at www.johnmrowley.com