Passion and Purpose

By Level Up EQ Coach Wendy Bruce, PCC

What does passion mean to you?  For many people, that means the “fire in the belly” that motivates and empowers them to achieve great things whether that means a virtuoso musical performance, a new world-record athletic achievement, or a painting that captivates and inspires its audience.

Are any of these things likely to happen without passion?  Probably not.

So, what does purpose mean to you?  Many would say it is the reason we do something.  An app has a “purpose” and likely a very useful one!  But when it comes to people, “purpose” is arguably one of the most important motivators that drive achievement.  If we think of our purpose as bringing home enough money to support our family, we may not feel excited to start every Monday morning gleefully reviewing our email messages.  But when a person sees the purpose in what they are doing, beyond themselves, they are more likely to push through the daily tasks to get to the work that has a broader impact.  

So what happens when you combine passion with purpose?  Really, there are no limits.  In your organization, who can you point to that combines passion and purpose?  If it is not you, then you are missing a significant opportunity.  Because passion is contagious, it’s hard to be around someone who is “fired up” and not feel at least a little uplift.  Suppose you were around 5 people who were “fired up”.  You would likely feel a greater uplift.  

Passion without purpose results in frustration and a decline in energy, focus, and commitment.  Purpose without passion” becomes a chore.

To find a purpose that you can hold in common with your team, ask your heart what the world/your world needs right now.  Ask your head “what would a solution look like?”  Ask your gut “are we ready?”  

So how do we conjure up passion on demand?  When your purpose is clear, imagine a world where your purpose was already in place, what would be better?  With that in mind, reflect on the other things in life that you feel passionate about.  Maybe it's not a virtuoso performance, maybe it is helping your 3-year-old ride a bike for the first time.  Maybe it is visiting a hospice patient for your volunteer group.  

Just imagining those activities, those moments where you feel passion, your body will start to generate the hormones and electrical field that your mind envisions.  Neuroscience has proven that the body does this.  When you reach that space, you radiate that energy and it will impact those around you.  Try it and see!  Passion truly is contagious!  Make this a practice and it will pay off.  Like going to the gym, we need to work a muscle long before we can realistically rely on it.