In an earlier article I defined with some detail the importance of order in achieving success. In the way a plant needs to have water and sunlight to succeed, an entrepreneur needs to adhere to the 3 imperatives to success; passion, persistence and vision.

Using the analogy of the plant we all know that if the plant doesn't get water it begins to wilt. In our efforts to fully blossom as entrepreneurs we need Passion, Persistence and Vision the way the plant needs the soil, water and sunlight.

Let me get clich for a moment. Passion is the thing youd do if money werent an issue. When something is done from passion it doesnt feel like work, and even when the persisting is tiresome it is recognized as part of the vision and embraced as a matter of fact. In the way I love my daughter, it requires no thought it's just there. Passion is divine and divinely inspired. Passion calls at you, passion isnt something you can generate with any lasting fervor for any extended period. Passion doesnt fit you, passion is part of you. Usually passion is exposed thru something youve just always been good at. You cant explain why. Its just always been there, your strength, your groove. Passion can make you jump put of bed in the morning or keep you from going to sleep at all. For those of us that have spent nights awake persisting toward a vision you can identify with this.

Persistence is the attribute that helps successful people accomplish what they set out to do. Often youll here successful people referred to as extraordinary and what that literally means is they do more than the ordinary and without a doubt it is because they press on despite setbacks and struggles. Persistence is the work. You need to do the work to enjoy the vision. Persistence as an imperative of success is only possible if it is flamed by passion.

Vision - which is grounded in proper planning is the third of the 3 imperatives to success. Many people think they understand it but the problem is they only "GET IT" part way. As an analogy, construction works well. Your vision needs to include not just the red brick 3 story home with 12 rooms and 4 jacuzzis but the bricks and mortar that go into it, the contractors doing the work, the weather, the time of year, the availability of supplies, the placement of the sprinklers, windows, the types of sprinklers, siding and the thickness of the siding, who is responsible for what, when they get paid, local codes, the grade of the lot and on and on the list goes. Your vision needs to include each step. Realizing a vision comes first from recognizing each and every step that goes into it. And since were talking business growth here, it means planning the business, strategically planning the business. Again, success demands order and order demands detail -- a complete picture; bricks, mortar labor and all. I recognize for many of you, at first thought you here this and you think "oh no", I dont want to go thru all that... welcome to being human. You want the vision but dont want to persist. The truth is, it is more painful to stumble around for a lifetime avoiding the work than it is to do it. You see, as Zig Ziglar says, you dont pay the price of greatness, you enjoy the price of greatness. You see the persistence is the greatest barrier to entry. Forget money, education and raw talent. Persistence is the greatest barrier to success in all pursuits. Vision can hit you in your lazyboy but persistence demands you stand.

In closing, you need to recognize that none of these 3 can work alone. Individually or even two of them together won't get you to success. Plenty of people are passionate but do nothing about it. Plenty of people have great vision but fail to do the work and finally plenty of people persist but because they lack the vision they go in circles, they tread water.

So, go succeed and be sure to follow "orders"!

This article was taken in part from the report "The Core of What Stops Us" by author and business planning expert, T. Dan Nichols.