The word
"passion" conjures up many images. None of these
images leaves us feeling indifferent. For me, it's that feeling when
I first met my wife: all the mystery and possibilities that come from
a new relationship with someone where there is a mutual
attraction. However, the word is not often used in
the business world. But in fact, what would our lives be
like if every morning we got up and went to work with that same
feeling or fervor that we have for that person who is the love of our
life?
There are a
number of benefits to frequently engaging our passions that will
result in our lives and the lives of others being dramatically
better. Here are eight of them that come to mind.
Energy: When we are
engaged in something that we love doing, time seems to
fly. We don't find work difficult because it likely
generates energy rather than draining it away.
Drive: We seem to be
unstoppable when we are focused on things we are passionate about.
Minor barriers are easily overcome. We find it easier to
achieve our goals and what we want. In fact, one of our
goals is to continue to do the things we love doing.
Creativity: When engaged in
our passions, we find ways to overcome obstacles that are often not
obvious. Our creativity is at its maximum.
Ideas on what to do next are generated from unexpected sources.
Focus: When we are
passionate about our work we have no problem staying focused on the actions
that will generate the results we want. We can't wait to
start the day and our "to do" list is well thought out and
provides the focus for what needs to happen that day.
Clarity: We see our work
through a different lens when our passions are engaged.
The path ahead becomes clearer and decisions that need to be made are
made quicker and with confidence.
Persistence: We find ways to
stay engaged in pursuit of our goals
when we are passionate about our work. We persist in our
"quest" even in the face of obstacles, no matter how
large. We reach out to others for help when we are
looking for solutions to challenges. We never give up!
Purpose: In a book
written by Matthew Kelly entitled "Perfectly Yourself", he
defines our purpose as where our passions and talents intersect the
needs of others. When we know what we are
passionate about, and can consistently align those passions with what
we're good at and where the world has a need, then we become the best
version of ourselves. The world is drawn to people who
live with passion and according to their purpose.
Peace: We
become peaceful, happier and we show up differently in the world when
our work is aligned with our passions. When we have
acquired the other benefits listed above the result is a heart that
is at peace with those around us.
Recently I
read a book entitled "The Purpose Linked Organization" by
Alaina Love and Marc Cugnon. If you
are wondering what your passions are and how you can best apply them
in your work, I highly recommend that you read this book.
Included in the purchase of the book is a code that allows you to
take an on-line survey called the Passion Profiler to discover your passions. We would welcome
the opportunity to discuss the findings and discuss the possibilities
that coaching might open for you to live your passions more fully.
