I've just been thinking about this. I knew a guy back in the 1980s, who talked in headlines. He thought Chiat Day was a national holiday. The guy lived to do great advertising. Problem was, he burned himself out. And in the end, he didn't really have much of a body of work to show for it. Last I heard, he was working in a bike shop in Atlanta.

Knew other people who had the "show up and do your job" approach. On any given day, you'd say they were hacks. But at the end of the game, when the fat lady sings, they'll have some good results, some happy clients, some war stories, and more than their share of awards.

So, does great work come from a passion for great work. Or does it come from the minds of able professionals, who want to get some work done...and maybe do some good for somebody? Jury is still out as far as I'm concerned.

Not that it's relevant to the post, but Peter Drucker said the only reason for a business to be in business is to create value...for its customer.