Doing something you love, that’s the dream right? Of course it is. If you are not passionate about what you are doing then it becomes more and more difficult to get involved in the process.
What are your passions? Do you have a passion for learning? For working? Regardless of where your motivation lies, make sure you use it to your advantage. It originates from places you least expect and emits through you in previously unknown channels. I used mine while I was involved in scouting to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. My friend’s love for our country got him through Marine Officer Training School and two tours in Iraq. Passion and dedication are assets that can be used to accomplish so much. Just be sure to keep it in check, as it can also lead you into water over your head.
For example, a friend of mine had a really deep passion for her sorority. She enjoyed everything from the rituals and traditions to the responsibilities of holding an active leadership position. Her goal was to get involved in every aspect of the chapter to fully enjoy the experience. After three years however, the candle started to die out. She lost interest in what she was doing and found herself starting to regret having put so much time into the organization. Burn out is very real and can detrimental to future success and accomplishment no matter where you are at.
A lot of people do not realize that all the energy they are putting into something can cause them to become disinterested and emotionally and physically exhausted. This can cause some to believe that whatever they were working on is not worth it anymore. False. Just because you need to take a break from something does not mean you have to walk away from it entirely.
Constructively use your passion for something by starting small but noticeable. If there is a class you really like, instead of reading the whole book in one night, read an extra chapter to get a jump on next week’s material. Save some for later. Start building up new skills and terminology in class to get ahead. At work, maybe try showing up early or leaving a little later. Get a little extra work done that day. These are small but noticeable feats that will get you noticed, and get you ready for larger steps. By larger steps I mean taking initiative to finish ambitious projects, taking more responsibility and working ahead of problems. It’s sort of like training for a marathon- in the beginning you start running short distances before going the whole 26.2 miles.
Once you figure out where your passion lies, in terms of your career, there’s a certain benefit that goes along with it. Employers want to hire job seekers that show fervor for what they do and if you can portray that passion to them, it’s all the better for you. That is why Spark Hire integrated video resumes for job seekers. With a video resume, you can show employers your fierce passion for what you do and show them how utilizing that desire will benefit them. A resume often falls short of this objective, since you cannot amply portray your passion in a simple list of accomplishments. However, a video resume can gives you the opportunity to paint a brilliant picture of who you are and where your passion lies. That is, of course, if you know what your passion is. It is up to you to figure that part out for yourself.
I’d like to give you some tips on how to handle your passion for something, but the reality is I’ve got nothing. My passion for something comes and goes regardless of what I do or do not do. There are things I can do to make the drive last longer and more meaningful, but my personal drives are not yours, nor are yours mine. This is an extreme example of something that really does not work for everybody. Only you can determine to what extent how far are willing to dive into something. Passion is a very powerful tool when wielded properly. Like the sword of Elendil, in the right hands, desire can drive a person to accomplish even the impossible. Even if it is broken, you alone have the fires necessary to repair it.
This post inspired by Erica Roberts @WannaBMarketing. She is a shining example of someone who is determined to help the Twitter community with insights and meaningful advice. Thank you for the inspiration.
Questions? Ideas or suggestions? Follow me on twitter @ChrisComella or email me at [email protected]
IMAGE: Courtesy of Johnson Controls Careers. Passion results NSFW. Trust me.
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