Bring On the Passion!
Purpose/Passion March 8th, 2010Passion is an awesome subject as just the very word typically excites people! The word represents such a powerful expression that it seems to raise the spirits just by its very mention. Not only that, but there is so much going on to pursue, express, seek and develop passions in people’s lives it’s an excellent subject for personally development. So what is passion? Passion is a feeling or expression of great excitement and enthusiasm towards a subject. It raises spirits and surges energy in however and whoever it is expressed to. It’s incredibly hard to express passion by writing and I truly wish I was speaking this right now as its much easier to be expressive and enthusiastic with your voice, your body movements and actions. Doing that with text is nearly impossible unless I started adding large flashy colored text, which I will definitely spare you the pain of. So, you will have to imagine me speaking this with expressive tone, body language and enthusiasm! Let’s get to it.
Welcoming Passion
Passion is not visible everyday. For some it may be, but for most people, it is an expressive burst that is not a regular activity and so when it does show up, it definitely gets noticed. Passion usually has a benefit of engaging the audience more, which is particularly useful when it is being expressed by speakers. It makes everything more memorable and builds credibility for a public speaker when they show that they really are passionate about and care for the subject they are speaking on. This occurs in all areas of life though, not just public speaking. It can occur in your business, your friendships and even online. Showing passions in these areas demonstrates with sincere meaning what you are emotionally connected to.
When you have the opportunity to see someone else express their topic or ideas with passion, how do you respond? Do you encourage it, add to that excitement or make an effort (often subconsciously) to stay calm, non-responsive to balance out that person with a less expressive engagement? I hope you add to that passion and even if you don’t connect with the content shared directly, you can certainly support the energy and willingness to bring that passion to you. If you can share in that passion and ensure they know that you are happy to see the passion, by contributing your own energy, you really welcome the passion. You can also welcome it by reminding people of passions and how you’ve enjoying expressing them or seeing it in others. This helps to influence people to share their own passions and makes it feel a bit safer. In business this is especially true as we often are so careful to follow the rules and expectations of others around us, we often don’t share or express the things we really love. Are there passions expressed in your business that could use your support and energy to encourage them?
Expressing Your Own Passions
There may not always be someone else around expressing passions that you can reinforce. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t add passion by sharing your own! What are the things you love to do, love to debate, or have dreams of experiencing. These are potentially areas of passion for you and they are great to express to bring more vitality to a group of people, friends or business. Expressing your passions will allow you to reveal something about yourself and to encourage others to share their own as well. Passions are often contagious because of the energy they activate in people.
Your passions are often seated at a young age in life and so thinking back to your childhood years (around age 6-13) what were the things that you most loved to do? Where you a creator, inventor, story teller, teacher, dreamer, helper, connector, influencer or follower? These areas as a child are likely the secret to some deep passion you have today, whether you know it or now. It’s a sign of who you are or want to be and can often reveal passions not yet explored or dreams worth seeking that develop into great passions. Expressing these stories from your early years is a great way to discover and express your own passions with others.
Expressing your own passions is sometimes risky. Anytime you expose something that is meaningful to you, you risk being judged for that and it not being accepted. The great thing with passions is that people are a lot more tolerant of passions than other characteristics of a person. I think the reason for this is that when a passion is often expressed, it is expressed with deep connection and even love for that subject. People tend not to attack or debate things we love and when a passion fits that category of something we really love, it is often protected from that social criticism just because we express the significance of that subject.
Don’t Seek Passion, Bring Passion
Obviously you can share your passions and seek them out, but its just as possible to learn the symptoms of passion and how to express it, how to connect with a subject and how to feel the passion in areas you love. Personally, I think passion can go much farther than what you love however, and that you can actually love to be passionate. Once you learn to be passionate about something, you can choose to bring the passion to anything you do, instead of having to seek it. Bringing the passion to what you do brings on all those great side effects of influencing people, gaining attraction and momentum because of the excitement and expression. Even if you were not initially caring about a subject, bringing the passion to it can actually activate you to connect and to feel much more for that subject. Passions don’t have to be things you seek, it can be something you simply know how to do and to bring into whatever you choose. That’s what I love about passion and what I’ve learned by studying. Of course, there are subjects I am more passionate about than others, but the ability to bring passion into anything I do helps me get motivated, stay connected and gain influence through that higher level of enthusiasm and energy towards a subject. What area of your life do you wish you had more passion for? Is there a passion you have learned from that you can mimick and bring the benefits of into new areas of your life? Please share yours!
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March 8th, 2010 at 9:37 PM
Dear Mike,
This is not only about passion but is passionately written. I love it! I am a huge “liver” of passion. I completely trust my passionate nature at this stage in my life regardless of whether others are comfortable with it or not.
This does not mean I disregard others discomfort, quite the contrary. If I sense someone is uncomfortable with who I am I immediately find ways to help them be at ease. It’s just my way; it happens naturally.
Also, being passionate is my way. I don’t think I know any other way of being at this point in my life. My husband often tells me that one of the reasons he loves me because I live life on volume ten. I think for me passion isn’t something I do, but rather something I am.
I really liked when you said: “The great thing with passions is that people are a lot more tolerant of passions than other characteristics of a person. I think the reason for this is that when a passion is often expressed, it is expressed with deep connection and even love for that subject.”
I think people are fascinated by people who “LIVE” their passion, by people who walk into a room and fill it with vitality. Passion does that, it fills us with vitality. We forget ourselves and become lost in our enthusiasm and love of what we are expressing and feeling. People become caught up in that and even thrive on it vicariously because I think we ALL hunger to experience passion. We are ALL Life and Life IS passion.
Beautiful article, beautifully written.
Keep walking those skinny branches of life! 🙂
Hugs,
Robin
.-= Robin Easton´s last blog ..How We Shape Our World =-.
March 8th, 2010 at 10:03 PM
Thanks Robin, I was hoping to see you chime in on this topic as I sensed a strong level of living with passion from your blog as well so its wonderful to read your comments. I love the word vitality in life and you are absolutely right, you can bring passion and vitality in all you do and once that is realized, Life IS passion. nice…
March 8th, 2010 at 11:01 PM
Dear Mike,
What a wonderful article about passion!!
Passion is the key to make things happen and manifest.
One thing on which I would like to stress more is this statement: “Expressing your own passions is sometimes risky. Anytime you expose something that is meaningful to you, you risk being judged for that and it is not being accepted.”
This is absolutely true! Actually, I was in such a situation before. I was putting too much consideration to those who might disagree with what you are passionate about. Because there are people who don’t even care about what you love and about your feelings. Of course, there are ways to treat these situations.
One of those ways is what you have mentioned in the last part “Don’t Seek Passion, Bring Passion”
This is a perfect way to introduce your passion about a certain thing. Explain all the good about that subject and prove that this subject is worth being passionate about.
This is how I do when I wanna express my passion about anything in my life. I have to prove it is perfect or good in some parts!
As @Robin Easton said, this is a “Beautiful article, beautifully written.”
Thanks a lot for such a great article!
BR
Husain
.-= Husain Al-Khamis´s last blog ..How-To Synchronize Files Using “rsync†Command =-.
March 8th, 2010 at 11:24 PM
Hi Mike, it seems like my passions have always dictated my direction. Instead of tapering off as the years go by, this trend has actually gained momentum. I can’t really imagine any other way. Learning is one of my greatest passions, I know you feel the same way Mike. A life filled with passion is a life well lived.
.-= Jonathan – Advanced Life Skills´s last blog ..Fear Lessons from a Bear, Rattlesnake, & New Yorker =-.
March 9th, 2010 at 12:31 AM
@Husain – awesome to read from you again, I can always rely on the topic of passion to bring you back! Thanks so much for your thoughts on this and especially the points you have highlighted. Making an argument towards something and why it is important to be passionate about is really most effective when you can bring that passion to the argument itself as well. Passion needs that convincing argument and the convincing argument is really only going to work where the passion is in the argument itself.
I personally have experienced though that when you show passion for something, you automatically gain momentum in your argument as just the demonstration of enthusiasm and passion towards a subject is convincing unto itself. Keep doing what you do Husain with your passions, I can just imagine how you demonstrate and prove the value of your passions and subjects. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
@Jonathan – You’ve definitely had a luxury in life to realize your passions and to live it, I know many cannot say the same thing. I think passions are often a struggle for people as either they cannot realize their own passions or something (those darn limiting beliefs again) prevent them from following their passions and making the choice to go in that direction.
For me, passion works the other direction as well. It seems I can bring passion to whatever I do and I often feel my direction guided now more by God and spiritual sense, not necessarily first by passion though. Once I’m into that area of life however, I have the ability to be passionate about it. I’ve been asked by people how I can be passionate about so many things I do? My response is that I am passionate about EVERYTHING that I do, otherwise its just not worth doing, right!?
March 9th, 2010 at 4:24 AM
Hello Mike,
Wonderful post.
Passion drives everything in personal and professional life. Passion enables us to overcome the hurdles in the life and rise above all the hurdles to live a fuller and richer life.
As ‘freedom’ is our right and so is PASSION.
Cheers,
Cheryl Paris
.-= Cheryl Paris´s last blog ..6 Easy Tips To Keep Your Fears From Holding YOU Back – Discover Your Talents Now! =-.
March 9th, 2010 at 4:26 AM
Hey Mike. Enjoying your blog. Particularly liked “100 Ways to Serve Others” and this latest post on passion.
I’ve found that in addition to having passion it’s important to surround yourself with people that encourage you and your passion.
Don’t hang out with toxic people. Spend enough time with toxic people and pretty soon you’ll be one. Their crappy attitude, pessimism, self-pity, negative language and their ability to ‘find the bad’ is contagious.
Keep up the great writing.
.-= Motivational Speaker – Craig Harper´s last blog ..Exercise Intensity =-.
March 9th, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Mike, thanks for the passion behind your post. I found the exercise in discovering and bringing passion to my life and to my work through two books: the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Steven Covey, and What Color is Your Parachute, by Richard Bolles. By writing my mission statement, I discovered my deepest yearnings, and by working through Bolles’ material, I uncovered my childhood passions that are still with me today.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Are You Ready To TURBOCHARGE Your Performance Success? =-.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:13 PM
@Cheryl – You are absolutely right. Passions create such motivation it seems to enable people to overcome anything!
@Craig – Awesome point about who you spend your time with. For someone who wants to serve others however, you must hang around with toxic people in order to influence them. Luckily influence works both ways and so while one may tend towards the toxins, the toxic folk tend toward the healthy. In doing this in my life, I love this and also know the value of how my passion and solitude can then be used to recharge me to keep from being affected permanently. If my passions are stronger than their toxicity, I have the opportunity to raise their bar up while still maintaining mine. I hope you understand what I mean with this related point.
@Steve – I too was affected by both those books and while I have many others that have greatly affected me, the content and ideas in those are the same consistent methods and ideas that I have based much of what I do on. Thanks for sharing this long lasting effect on you, its true that sometimes a childhood habit or activity can shape us for decades in what we belief, build on and create and bring passion into.
March 11th, 2010 at 7:55 PM
Hey Mike,
One thing that has been a constant in my life is passion for music. I play guitar, and love attending open mic nights to perform as well as meet other musicians. I also love attending concerts.
I especially liked this point:
“there are subjects I am more passionate about than others, but the ability to bring passion into anything I do helps me get motivated, stay connected and gain influence ”
I think that’s really key. There are some people I’ve met who no matter what, I had a really difficult time getting excited about anything – and other people who always seem to be willing to go along, and be enthusiastic, and at least give it a shot.
.-= Sid Savara´s last blog ..Conversation Hacking – How To Make Small Talk Work For You =-.
March 12th, 2010 at 10:47 AM
Hi Mike.
That sounds about right about our passions setting in around ages 6-13. I see that much that I enjoyed at that time is similar today.
I hear you there about bringing passion instead of looking for where it exists. When I focus on bringing energy instead of searching for energy, I have it and find it. When I look to just search for energy, I don’t find it, and also lack it. This is true in various regards.
Expressive bursts are not to be allowed to be affected by any distractions. They are times of very high ROI.
.-= Armen Shirvanian´s last blog ..Don’t Take Someone For Granted =-.
March 12th, 2010 at 7:27 PM
@Sid – Glad to hear that you are making something of your passions Sid and ensuring that you play the music that you love. So many people know their passions and don’t put them into practice. THe flip side then is not knowing your passion or being passionate about anything. Thanks for highlighting my point here as I agree this is vital to be enthusiastic about new things in order to make it through the change, with some excitement.
March 12th, 2010 at 7:29 PM
@Armen – So true and yes energy, passions it applies in so many areas. I put happiness in this same category. If you seek happiness, its very difficult to find, but if you bring happiness to all that you do, you discover that you always have it.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:13 AM
Hi Mike, this is a great topic. I’m a very passionate person and care about what I do. This makes me who I am and I am glad for that. However, I also see it as a burden sometimes. It gets me into trouble because I just can’t keep quiet about things I don’t agree with. Since I care I need to want thing to go right and I need to offer my thoughts. It seems much more peaceful for the people who don’t seem to care and who just go with whatever someone else thinks. Help!
.-= Stephen – Rat Race Trap´s last blog ..Taking a Stand For Something =-.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:33 AM
@Stephen – Oh man, do I ever know exactly what you mean. I’ve had the label several times in my career as the “shit disturber” and it was all for the same reason. I just have to take a stand. Now, I think any good leader needs to do this and sometimes the things I call people out on are VERY uncomfortable topics or “the unspoken” topics. It takes someone with a passion to raise the bar though and I know those efforts while at the time were seen very negative, I get praise for them now years later with the same team. Sometime you have to MAKE peace instead of just avoiding battles to keep the peace.
March 15th, 2010 at 4:46 AM
Passion is the key to success. But many people failed beacuse of it. Just like blogging, if you don’t have passion on it, quality of your articles won’t be good.
.-= Alvin Nyau´s last blog ..PIKOM PC Fair Malaysia 2010 – where, when, venue, location, date, time =-.
March 27th, 2010 at 12:30 PM
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April 7th, 2010 at 9:48 AM
It is really hard to look for a job that you really love to do. But if you indeed find it, don’t let it go! Nurture it until you reach your full potential.
May 14th, 2010 at 2:16 AM
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