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FRUITS OF PASSION!

Archana Law extols the virtues of being passionate about what you do

Imagine doing what makes you excited to go to work every day… And you become so absorbed in it that you lose track of time; where it isn’t merely work but a passion that you happened to be paid for?

But when we can’t figure out why we’re doing what we’re doing or how we ended up working in a job, a sense of drifting settles in – like we drifted along with the tide and eventually found ourselves here. Or perhaps we had a plan but a lack of follow-through and/or a few of life’s hard knocks changed it, and we merely went along feeling lost.

According to Dr. Myles Munroe in his book Understanding Your Potential, the richest place on Earth is not the bank but the graveyard!

It’s the place where one would find unfulfilled dreams and passions, uncreated inventions, unwritten books and songs, visions that never became a reality and potential that remained just that!

“People who hold leadership roles but lack the excitement, vision and energy to go with the job are likely to cause problems for everyone, especially themselves,” say Robert J. Lee and Sara N. King, formerly of the Center for Creative Leadership. Staying adrift frustrates you, and adversely impacts the energy and productivity of your co-workers and employees, which stifles innovation.

All great achievements begin with a passion that fuels everything you do and motivates you; and it is your unique lens on the world that shapes not only who you are but with whom you connect and what opportunities you pursue.

Most importantly, that same shared purpose is what brings your tribe together; the community of people like internal employees, external partners and customers who believe in your cause – and what you are seeking to build.

In his book Start With Why, Simon Sinek asserts: “People don’t just buy ‘what’ you do; they buy ‘why’ you do it.” If you don’t know your purpose, it’ll be difficult to find support and build a culture of passionate authenticity that excites others.

These suggestions can help reignite the passion in your life…

PLANNED LEADERSHIP We all lead in every area of our lives, either intentionally or by default. Energy expressed through our thoughts, emotions and actions can be catabolic and destructive, or anabolic and constructive, claims Bruce D. Schneider of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching.

Avoid catabolic energy that’s manifested through worry, fear, doubt, blame and anger. Instead, develop anabolic energy like responsibly seeking and creating opportunities that engage, enable and empower all.

RESET YOUR MINDSET Note all the highlights of your day and talk about the good things that are going on. Rather than sweeping bad moments under the carpet, replace them with positives that outshine any negativity.

RECHARGE YOURSELF It is crucial to take a break to reset your engagement levels. A few days off or a vacation, or something that feels good and diverts your mind, offers ample time to recharge. Studies show that even small breaks from mental tasks improve creativity and productivity.

SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS There’s always room for improvement, even for self-proclaimed experts. Take an inventory of all the skills you have acquired over time and set a goal to improve each one daily. This will provide you with something to which to look forward everyday while keeping your positivity and productivity flowing.

CONNECT DEEPER In addition to what you’re already doing to better understand how you are adding value, find out whether your actions are helping a co-worker, enhancing a relationship with a customer or improving the company’s bottom line. Focus on small achievements that lead to big results, highlight your contributions and leverage them to your advantage.

BUILD A VISION BOARD Pin up the top five goals you want to achieve during your lifetime – for travel, photos of the places you want to visit; for family, what you imagine it looking like; and for career, what you want to achieve. Neuroscience teaches us that the more you train your mind to understand who you want to become, the more your actions are a reflection of that future.

Senior Vice President at Walmart Shawn Baldwin says that “as leaders, we have the opportunity to bring people together to do something that is bigger than they are as individuals.” Organisational surveys consistently reveal that employees want to connect with the big picture, and engage in meaningful work and opportunities. If you align people to do what they are passionate about, they’ll figure out how to create value.

Facebook visionary Mark Zuckerberg leads purposefully and even encourages employees to work on projects they are passionate about – an incredible way to develop human competence and tap potential!

Place your hand over your heart… feel that? It’s called purpose.  You are alive for a reason, so don’t forget it! What matters is what you can do right now to live a life about which you’re passionate.