Consider, for a moment, how you start your week or even a typical day of work. Are you already counting the days until the weekend? Before you metaphorically wake up on the wrong side of the bed, it’s best to remember that your attitude is a key indicator of passion for your work, and that passion will drive your performance.
Passion can never forced, though sometimes it needs to be cultivated. It comes from caring about the means and the ends of what you do. When passion is put behind the work, there are several benefits. The first benefit being that work can become a joy. Passion for work can even make you forget that you may be working for someone else, because each task you take on will help you reach a personal goal.
The second aspect of finding that passion is that you will have a new energy for each day. It may take setting the habit at first, but you’ll wake up excited about going to work and be able to build efficiency in the hours you spend there. Your mind is clearer, you are more productive, and you make fewer mistakes. You no longer watch the clock but engage in deliberate, productive action.
Thirdly, your passion catches the attention of those around you. This is good for the company not only because of your increased productivity, but because those around you notice and tend to ramp up their game as well. Also, your manager or directors notice your work performance as well. They see the increase in your quality output, in your efficiency, and in your attitude. Of course, you are not doing this to be seen in the brown-nosing sense, but people are watching, and that’s okay because the people who are watching are the ones who have the power to make decisions regarding your performance.
But what are some strategies to capture that passion?
Think Like Your Boss
A recent Wall Street article states that many people don’t understand or have an appreciation of how their work fits into the overall picture of the company’s strategy. To increase your passion and purpose, get a grasp of how your performance affects the business by understanding your boss’s expectations. How do you do that? The first step is to ask your boss simply what his or her expectations are. Don’t automatically believe that this should be communicated to you on a daily basis. Even the most successful businesses in the world suffer from poor internal communication. Request time with your boss and explain how passionate about the job you are and that you would like to know what his expectations are and how your role fits within the organization.
Take a Chance
Doing passionate work provides other benefits as well. Being passionate about your work allows you the freedom to take more risks. You begin to look for better ways of accomplishing a task, not just to make life easier for you, but to improve the bottom line of your organization. The more chances you take to better your performance, the more valuable you are to the company. As Seth Godin says, “Make a decision. It doesn’t have to be a wise decision or a perfect one. Just make one. In fact, make several. Make more decisions could be your three-word mantra.
When you discover the intersection of what you love and where you excel, there is no stopping the ideas and innovations you can deliver. That is why employees at successful companies like Google, Zappos.com, 3M, IBM, and many others give their employees “idea time” to come up with great ideas for improving, inventing, or refining products and services offered to help propel the company forward. With your newfound passion, you can do the same. By the way, you may not know this, but it is okay to make mistakes with your innovative moments. Most company leaders would prefer an employee with passion enough to try and fail than just to show up for their J.O.B.
Motivate Yourself
Okay, so you know that being passionate about your job is important, and you want to be passionate and make a difference. But, how do you get passion if you don’t feel it now? Should you fake it till you make it? Remember that it is not really how you feel about your job… sort of. First, if you can’t find any joy at all with your current position, you should be looking for another job. Looking to excel at a position you loathe will just create a mess for you and the organization.
On the other hand, if you like the company, the atmosphere, the company’s mission, vision, and values statements, and what they stand for, you can still get passionate about the work. Remember: the value you bring to the company increases the value they are able to give back to you.
You may need more training and education to get to a position that you truly love, but for now, the way to get passionate about your work is first to get motivated. Remember that passion is a state of mind. Set a personal, realistic goal for the quarter that is in line with the direction of the company. Once you know where you’re going and how you’ll get there, you’ll find it easier to get passionate about your work.
The natural result of an increase of passion is an increase in productivity, which should lead to an increase in your company’s bottom line and eventually an increase in your bottom line. At Paradigm Life, we encourage self-improvement and financial education. Along with increases in your passion and your income should come renewed vigor to review your whole financial strategy. We want to show you more ways to grow your wealth, access income, and leaving a financial legacy. That’s why we offer free financial education. In that vein, we want to share this model with you called Infinite Banking, and we are excited to invite you to take 2 minutes to sign up for a FREE, extensive eCourse called Infinite 101®. You’ll receive access to video tutorials, articles, and podcasts. It literally costs you nothing to become educated on this ideal financial strategy and start changing your wealth paradigm!
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