Do Business Better

5Drive

Now we're covering a trait everyone can learn but many choose not to: drive.

Call it drive, ambition, or work ethic. You'll find it's a standard ingredient in successful people.

Potential to Do What?

Ever hear an idea or person described as having “a lot of potential”? It's a common statement. The only problem is that potential has no value until it actually turns into something. Tell the grocery store you have a lot of potential you'd like to exchange for food. Try paying your mortgage with potential.

Everything has potential. My farmland has potential to produce crops, timber, hay, and, beef. But without diligent effort and management, the farm yields very little.

So it is with people and businesses.

Drive Equals Discipline

I have no idea whether or not you're a go‐getter. But you better know whether or not you are. Starting, running, and growing a business requires effort. Generally of the self‐starting variety.

Don't despair; remember I told you drive was learnable? It is.

Drive is simply discipline. There's no such thing as an “ambition gene.” Ambitious people are just more disciplined. Driven people work even when they don't want to. They work harder, smarter, and longer. Driven people possess the fortitude to focus on the end result.

Everyone has potential. Discipline turns that personal potential into results.

Most of what it takes to succeed boils down to a willingness to work. Most of work ethic simply boils down to discipline.

Talent Without Discipline ...