When I See the “P” Word, I Pause.

Passion is everywhere. People proudly declare, “I’m passionate about XYZ.” And that’s great—enthusiasm and energy matter.

But passion alone doesn’t guarantee skill, competence, or results. I’m a passionate golfer, but that has little to no bearing on my performance. Of course, golf is just my hobby—but in the professional world, I see many using passion as a substitute for ability.

As a client, customer, or colleague, I have to ask: How does your passion translate into value?

Enthusiasm is contagious, but enthusiasm alone doesn’t deliver results. In fact, it’s possible to achieve stellar results without excitement at all.

Passion can be instrumental to success but is not a substitute for competence.

What if, instead of talking about your passion, you let your results prove it?