The Power Of Passion

03/11/2006 | Comment

Q: Are you passionate about what you do… or just passionate about the money you rake in?

I’m going to let you in on a little secret… it’s a lot easier to make money when you’re passionate about what you do.

How many people in the world are locked into a job they can’t stand, only for the sheer fact that they get a steady paycheck and benefits to take care of their family? I’m willing to bet there are quite a few in that position.

You don’t have to be one of them.

Your business obviously sparked an interest in you somewhere … even if it was only because you deemed it a profitable venture. But how you arrive at those profits is up to you.

Think about the way a non-profit is set up.

The people who created it either have to start with a for-profit company, or work hard to garner the funds necessary to achieve their goals.

They usually work for less money, so you know they have to love what they’re doing. They might have a trait you don’t yet possess… the ability to let their success be defined by how much they get to follow their passion and realize their dreams.

Your success is not fully dependent on number crunching.

It’s not all about how much you can cut from your overhead expenses or how fat your bank account grows over time.

How fulfilled are you?

Do you dread going to work every day and look forward to the vacation time you’ve accrued?

Do you call in sick just because you can’t stand thinking about work for even another minute?

Regardless of what business you’re in, you have to take command of your future and make passion a part of your routine.

Not every task can be something you’ll meet with enthusiasm.

You may not like packaging and shipping or printing out invoices. It may be a pain to source service providers to whom you can outsource jobs. But you can come into work every day and be passionate about what you’re about to accomplish.

Start by designating menial tasks that weigh you down to others and focus your attention and time on things that will give you a greater sense of satisfaction.

It’s also important to create a positive work environment. People generally advise,

Leave the stress at work.

But the workplace doesn’t have to be stressful in the first place… and in fact, it’s counter-productive.

Some companies have realized this and sought ways to increase employee satisfaction. They do this with relaxed dress codes, increased vacation time, and monetary rewards.

Even if you are your only employee, you should address what would be the ideal working environment for you. Would it be alternate work hours – say, from 5 PM to 1 in the morning? For some people, the answer is yes.

Is there something you want to do that you just don’t have time to accomplish because you spend too much time working?

Maybe you’d like to give back to the community.

Find ways to do that through your business.

For instance, create a corporate-sponsored event for charity or give back to the community using your company profits. That way, every time you’re working on something you don’t feel passionate about, you’ll know that in the end, you’re fulfilling your goals by earning personal profits and giving to others at the same time.

When you find ways to love what you’re doing, your success will come naturally.

You’ll have a positive attitude, which helps you accomplish more in life. People who get bogged down being negative find it hard to move forward because they’re concentrating on the present moment… or even the past.

Don’t be afraid to show off your passions to other people.

Showcasing what you believe in – what you work hard for – what you know will somehow create a better life for you and your family (or even the world) is a great indicator of future success.

Let others experience your passion for work. Your energy and enthusiasm for what you do will attract others to your sense of success. These people may be wonderful additions to your company.

If you went in to interview with someone like you, would you feel excited about working in the company – or apprehensive about the chaos and stress that seems to go on?

Work on creating a positive environment where you and your employees can be the driving force behind your company’s success… because you all feel passionate about what you do.