Reaching goals that match your passion is not only preferable, but it’s also more rewarding than going after something that doesn’t inspire you.
If you feel passionate about something, it will emanate from every pore of your being.
Does “Fake It till You Make it Work?
What if you are lukewarm about your message, but you feel that you need results, NOW. We have all been in that situation. A business idea that is not as fulfilling as we expected, but we need the money. An assignment from the boss we are not enthusiastic about.
I am reminded of a high school classmate who had an interesting approach to motivate herself during a summer job she didn’t like. She needed to fund her college tuition and kept repeating to herself “I’m moving package of cheese from this line to that line so that I don’t have to do this for the rest of my life.”
She was honest, she found a way to stay motivated, she achieved her real goal… college graduation. Instead of pretending that she liked the situation she was in, she envisioned a future beyond it.
I did not realize, until years later, the extent to which she disliked her summer job. Why? She did not complain about a summer job. She viewed and expressed it as a steppingstone toward who she would become. And she got there.
Followers Feel Your Passion
What do you do when you lack passion in the moment?
Great leaders feel passionate about their vision. It’s this passion that allows them to make sure their vision becomes a reality.
Having a true passion is the kind of thing that wakes you up early in the morning ready to hit the ground running. Expressing passion for something, even in the midst of a less exciting “must-do” on the journey to your vision, excites followers who want to help you succeed.
Action
Create a list of “Passion Topics” from which you can choose when conversing with a friend, colleague, JV partner or family member. Choose a notebook (either online or offline) and then take these simple steps:
- Clear your mind. Relax. Forget all rules of grammar or style.
- Set a time limit – beginners can aim for 5 minutes but increase the time as you get more comfortable with the exercise.
- List as many things as possible that truly “light you up”.
- Whittle that list down to 3-5 passions.
- Optional: Rank them by your skills/abilities/strengths.
- Review periodically and talk about the one or two that would resonate with your listener.
- Your passion will become your listener’s passion and you will be amazed at how you elevate each other.
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