colon or hyphen

Believer wrote:

Hi, I sometimes dithers between the choices to use a colon or a hyphen when I am giving an explanation of the main clause in whole or in part like this one: In a race to learn English faster,  a person needs to possess these two personal qualities among others to do better: patience and persistence. In a race to learn English faster, a person needs to possess these two personal qualities among others to do better-- patience and persistence.

I think both are fine, but a colon is better.