Why are so many direct marketing companies performing at half  potential? And why are only a handful performing at or above their  potential? What makes the difference? The first thing I see is passion. Top performers have a passion for  what they do that most of us only dream about. These people love  business and they love their business. In one way, they are truly  fortunate. Passion of that kind is rare, and very successful people  invariably possess it to extremes. In another way, they are cursed.  They can never get away from that passion and their lives are shaped  by it almost totally and almost constantly. Because passionate business owners and leaders are mono-focused on  the business, they often re-invent themselves and the business to  ensure they remain at the leading edges. Others enjoy the familiar  groove, the familiar niche, the same familiar SICs. They maintain the  past and the present;