Passion or Persistence?

Today, I was thinking about a famous quote by President Calvin Coolidge:

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

But I would argue that nothing in this world can take the place of passion. Passion feeds the fire that is persistence and carries with it joy, fulfillment, and originality. Just because someone can persist doesn't mean that they will necessarily succeed. "Persistence" in this quote is assumed to also carry with it the inner drive and motivation which accompany the efforts carried out in a persistent attempt; however, persistence alone does not mean that internal drive exists.

Now, passion and persistence can both be roads to success. The difference between them is that one has a decidedly personal context and the other has societal significance. When you have a passion for something, you independently pursue whatever that passion is, not for others but for your own satisfaction. With passion, internal drive exists which paves a clear way to persistence and dedication. All in all, passion is a very personal endeavor that is associated with self-fulfillment and joy. Persistence is also a way of succeeding, although it does not carry with it the connotation of personal satisfaction. Persistence is a quality that people make use of when they need to meet a deadline or there is some circumstance which forces them to complete a task no matter what. Persistence does not necessarily mean that the person is working towards a personal goal or that they are engaging in the task to cultivate happiness within themselves. Often, people persist when they are expected to succeed.

Although passion may not always lead to success, it is what the human spirit is made of. Out of passion comes persistence and so much more. So, while persistence and dedication do play an important role in life's tasks, passion plays an even more important role in how we all live life. So, I would have to disagree with President Coolidge and say this:

"Passion. Passion alone is omnipotent." - Quyen Nguyen