There is no substitute for passion about work

Time to read: 2 minutes

If you enjoy your work, you will excel at it. And you, your company, employees, and stakeholders will benefit. Joy spreads.

As a new year begins, it’s the right moment to step back and ask an important question, especially as leaders: Are we truly excited about the work we do?

Love What You Do
If you love what you’re doing, you’ll never have to work a day in your life. I’m continually amazed at the number of leaders who don’t like or enjoy what they’re doing.

When I speak at meetings, conventions, and conferences, I ask audiences: How many of you love your work? How many of you get excited about what you do?

Usually, a few hands go up. Everyone else sits very quietly and uncomfortably, looking with envy at those who have raised their hands.

I love what I’m doing. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.

I’ve coached, spoken to, consulted with, and trained people, teams, and organizations to increase their effectiveness.

I love the opportunity to meet with a wide variety of people every day, learn from them, communicate with them at various levels, and coach them to take their skills to a higher level.

Work Doesn’t Feel Like Work
Going into an organization as a consultant and making it function better is not work for me. It’s fun.

Standing up and speaking in front of thousands of people, or making a difference in somebody’s life, either professionally or personally, is not work. It’s exciting, something I see myself doing for the rest of my life.

The gratification I get from effecting changes that help people and organizations is truly thrilling. When I coach executives and watch them grow into successful leaders, I feel great joy. Perhaps I’m the poster guy for those who adore their work.

Most people who experience such fulfillment are highly successful leaders who are following a creative path. As leaders, they’re not only in touch with themselves, but also more importantly, with the people who report to them.

This kind of exhilaration becomes contagious, rubbing off on the people you lead. Without this passion, you cannot provide the direction and guidance your job requires.

Life Is Too Short
A friend in the wine business once said, “Life is too short to drink bad wine.”

I say, life is too short to be doing something you don’t love.

If you lack passion and enjoyment, people will see right through you. You’ll never be able to inspire them to greatness or be effective. Life is too short to struggle at a job you hate. So, if leadership doesn’t fulfill you, it may be time to reconsider your path.

Find and Share Your Passion
What is your passion? How do you communicate it to others? How do you let people know what inspires you?

While you needn’t possess every skill that characterizes great leadership, you must be able to explain why you’re passionate about your work and so must the people who work for you.

They may not have every required technical skill when they’re hired. Those can be taught. What you cannot teach is passion. A person either has it or doesn’t.

You don’t have to have every skill necessary to become a great leader, but one of the most important traits of effective leadership is being passionate about your work and what you do.

Take Action as a Leader
As leaders, the energy and passion we bring to our work sets the tone for everyone around us. Curious how clearly your passion shows up in your leadership?

Take our free Inspirational Leader Assessment to gain insight into how energized, focused, and inspiring you are as a leader and how you can strengthen your impact in the year ahead.