Tough or determined?

Ever since hearing an interview with singer-songwriter Suzi Quatro, I've been thinking about a perceptive distinction she made.  She said there's a huge difference between being tough and being determined.  I think that's an admirable viewpoint for at least three reasons:

• It's brave.  It isn't easy to admit that rudeness and slights can wound you and make you sometimes take them to heart too much.
• It's accurate.  If you're tough, you can shrug off the slings and arrows that come your way.  If you're determined, you might have a harder time ignoring naysayers, but you might still achieve your goal through persistence.
• It's reassuring.  It's comforting to know that you don't always have to be the strongest person to succeed.  If you work hard and just keep at whatever you're doing, you can still have some measure of satisfaction and success.  

Sometimes, a motivational speech hits you when you aren't expecting it.  It's especially appropriate that this distinction came from Quatro, an entertainer in a field where the chances of success are typically slim; in such a pursuit, one has to be either tough or determined.  It's a relief to be reminded, though, that you don't necessarily have to have both of those qualities in equal measure.