We have heard from many successful people in the world what passion is. In essence, whoever finds passion in what they do or rather do what they are passionate about, will inspire and motivate people around them.
Let’s observe how passion is a key component of the culture of transformational leaders. As well, how passion can’t be replaced and how we can start living with passion.
The American business executive, Jack Welch, who was the chairman and CEO of one of the world’s largest corporations: General Electric (GE), believes that the world will belong to passionate, driven leaders, people who not only have enormous amounts of energy but who can energize those whom they lead.
John F. Welch, Jr. is one of the most successful industrial leaders of the modern age, who was able to increase the market value of GE from $12 billion to $410 billion and who was called by Fortune Magazine “Manager of the Century.”
For Welch the formula of successful people is simple: Energy, Energizing Others, Edge, Execution, and Passion: 4Es & P.
That incredible force that keeps us going when others quit; that becomes contagious and influences others to follow us; that it pushes us through the toughest of times and give us the energy we didn’t even know we possessed, is no other than passion.
When people decide to follow their passion, it makes all the difference. Passion fills them with energy and desire giving them the will to win. Passion goes above and beyond:
- Opportunity: great opportunities may open the door, but the journey is often long and full of challenges. Without passion that sustains when times get harsh, people don’t make the most of their opportunities and they end up not reaching their potential.
- Knowledge: being smart doesn’t make someone a leader with influence. As Jack Welch explained people with resumes filled with degrees in different disciplines make them bright and intellectually curious; yet, they often turned out to be unfocused dabblers, unwilling to commit, lacking intensity and passion for any one thing.
- Money: whether you use it or it uses you, this tool could become a goal in itself for many people. Mark Albion the author of “Making a Life, Making a living” explains a study that reveals how the majority of people that become wealthy have done so thanks to being dedicated to an area they enjoy as well as their search for significance. They pursued their true interests first and money would eventually follow.
- Talent: there are many people in the world with great natural talent who never achieve personal or professional success. Talent is overrated; the reality is that it will take more than talent to be successful. Talent can do nothing without perseverance and effort.
- A great team: leaders can’t be successful without a good team. But having a good team does not guarantee success to a weak and passionless leader. Some leaders often feel that they can achieve anything because they have great teams. As John Maxwell in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership affirm, “we attract who we are, not who we want.”
There is a difference between work and play. For most people work is what they have to do to earn a living so that someday they can do what they want to do. If that is the case, don’t do it. Choose to do what you love to do and you never have to work a day in your life.
What do you love doing so much that you would do it for free and for many hours? What is your passion? Write down a list of your answers.
Is your job something that you have to do or that you want to do? What percentage of the time would you consider your job to be enjoyable? If the answer is less than 49% you need a job or career change.
How can you follow your passion? Do you need to change your job, maybe a different position? Or you need to change your career?
Are you using your resources such as time, money, and strengths on what you are passionate about? If you need to change your path, write down a plan to make a transition.
Whether you need to find your real passion, need a job or career change, or writing down a plan to make a transition let us know LEADINFORCE can help you.
Question: What is your passion?