December 29, 2011 – DAY 29 | Passion: As a coach I often hear clients say I don’t have direction or I’ve lost my passion. My response is typically to help them consider that they don’t have passion because they have lost sight of the calling or purpose for their life. You see, somewhere along the way they have put aside the idea of excellence and settled for mediocre. I have found that many go through life rarely experiencing, much less understanding what their purpose is, much less how passion plays a part in moving us toward our purpose.
Passion is an intense driving, focused feeling, conviction, strong liking, desire for, or devotion to, some activity, object, or concept. You experience passion in that moment when you are so moved that you can do nothing but act on the very thing that is calling you. It is all you know to do from the very depth of your being. It is that burning need to go, to do, or to achieve something greater than is otherwise thought possible.
Passion is what motivates us to take the next step or move to the next level to start the next action. It brings an excitement from deep within and spurs us to act upon and follow our desires. It is the very thing that fires us up; move us forward and creates a focus of energy and effort. To put it simply, passion is the fuel that drive our purpose.
I had a client explain their passion to me like this: It is something I feel I have to do… I couldn’t ignore it if I wanted to. It’s a calling… I truly believe that. To ignore it feels like I’m betraying myself and God by robbing the world of what I have to offer through the gifts He has given me. These words are a powerful example of what passion means to someone who is experiencing its pull.
You may be thinking, ok I had passion for something at one point in my life but not anymore. What happened? The answer is in the tough reality that you either use it or lose it. Passion begins to fade from your focus over time because of the busyness and demands of life. Many have placed their passion on the back burner to simply get through each day. After a while, in this state, we forget our passion. We may then link our passion to a life dream or goal that appears too far out of reach.
I have known many a client who were passionate about something as a kid and actually pursued it through their adulthood. This can be observed with successful athletes and musicians. I have equally seen many lose traction and get buried in an avalanche of life issues.
Consider the things that excite you. What are they? What would you say that you have a passion for? Write it down!
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Philip A Foster, MA is Founder/CEO of Maximum Change Inc. Elevating leaders and their organizations to the next level since 2005. Master Certified Coach, Philip A Foster, MA and his associates facilitate effective positive change by helping organizations, leaders and individuals in high demand — design and implement strategies that maximize focus and deliver results. Specializing in Organization and Strategic Leadership.