Business consultants spend a lot of time trying to understand sales performance. But what is often overlooked in the analytical process is emotional energy—your passion for the business.
In The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, John Maxwell states, “If you look at the lives of effective leaders, you will find that they often don’t fit into a stereotypical mold. For example, more than 50 percent of all CEOs of Fortune 500 companies had a C or C- average in college. Nearly 75 percent of all U.S. presidents were in the bottom half of their school classes. And more than 50 percent of all millionaire entrepreneurs never finished college.”
When you think about influential leaders, you will be struck by their passion: Gandhi for human rights, Winston Churchill for freedom, Martin Luther King Jr. for equality, Steve Jobs for technology, Mother Theresa for servant leadership. Influential leaders have a burning desire to make a difference.
Thus, in order for apparently “ordinary people” to achieve great things, they need passion.
Very broadly, passion is defined as “a strong or intense feeling or emotion.” It is the fuel for your will. Passion creates powerful energy. Typically, passion begins as a focused desire but eventually swallows all of the emotions it engenders. For example, if you want something badly enough, you will find the willpower to achieve it.
Passion in business translates into loving what you do. When you follow your passion, you will become a more dedicated and productive person, and your passion will positively impact others around you. Bottom line, it’s time to find your passion. It will have a profound impact on your performance.