be passionate
Passion is an essential ingredient in success. We cannot bake a good cake without eggs, just as we cannot create success without passion. Our greatest work in life will develop within the ethos of passion. This is something that cannot be learned, and it cannot be feigned. It must be real and it must be present, for the lack of passion creates a lack of purpose.
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It was said by T.S. Elliot, “It is obvious that we can no more explain a passion to a person who has never experienced it than we can explain light to the blind.” Use your passion to inspire others, create excitement and in turn help others to find unique passions themselves. This will have a lasting impact and one that we may be remembered for. Without passion, ideas sit idle while performance and satisfaction fade.
There are few forces more powerful than an individual who is empowered to make decisions and free to act from a place of true passion. As mentioned previously, in order to be truly fulfilled and find meaning in your work and life, you must be passionate.
There are few forces more powerful than an individual who is empowered to make decisions and free to act from a place of true passion. As mentioned previously, in order to be truly fulfilled and find meaning in your work and life, you must be passionate.
- Focus our efforts on what we do well – in the areas in which we can make valuable contributions. It is easy to be passionate in areas that we naturally excel. When we are passionate about something we will demonstrate this through unconditional care and it will most likely result success. When we feel passion for something, it is an inherent sign that it is important.
- Strive for excellence and take the time necessary to truly do outstanding work. For example, take the extra time to proof a document, draft a nice cover page, and print it on a higher quality paper. When we demonstrate a commitment to quality and performance, we will engage our passion and others will notice it. The product of our work will memorialize our values, and when done well it will simply reinforce our passions.
- Do not overcommit at the cost of diluting your passion. We cannot do everything, even if we want to. Some individuals are genuinely interested in almost everything and are able to make contributions in many areas. However, those individuals may eventually suffer from passion fatigue, and areas which used to bring joy may begin to feel like rote tasks. We must learn to know our limits so we can ration our strength and passion where it can truly shine. Learn to identify the difference between things that you find interesting and things that truly excite you. Our strengths are the areas that are exciting, valuable, and that we do well. The things in life that are simply enjoyable may be better categorized as hobbies.
- Find ways to share your strengths with others through teaching or coaching. Being passionate about something is an intangible quality that can be easily and spontaneously modeled. We may discover deeper satisfaction in inspiring others to do great work, which in turn will refuel our tank. There are few joys in life greater than knowing that you are passing on wisdom, imagination, and energy to future generations. Teaching may be one of the most noble of the arts.
- Practice resiliency throughout the day. We cannot eliminate bad things from happening, and when they do we should be prepared to the extent possible. This means building confidence, establishing trustworthiness, and a positive support system. Being passionate will catalyze our resiliency when we need it the most. Being passionate also means being vulnerable. Resiliency is a necessary counterbalance to vulnerability.
- Incorporate discipline into our daily habits as a way to fuel your passion. Discipline as a virtue will be respected, and by demonstrating that virtue in practice will reinforce its importance and value – thus fueling your passion. The greatest athletes leverage discipline in their training and performances that go along with their fiery passion to win. Endurance athletes in particular learn to tolerate sustained discomfort as a means of improving overall performance. As in many situations, often times the greater the challenge, the greater the reward. When it comes to seeking meaningful success, nothing easy is worth doing.
- Model vulnerability that can be fortified by passion. The best way to gain trust is to give trust. Similarly, our willingness to be vulnerable will allow others to do the same. Moments of profound veracity that is necessary for progress can be realized by becoming vulnerable.