Passion For…

I am never sure how this blog thing works, so as I do with life I am jumping right in. Passion is one of my very favorites. It makes me excited to even type it. So much so, my thumb keeps missing the period and hitting return. Ugh, you see this is one of those moments where I say screw it and move on to the next thing. Instead, I will blog on. 😂 ( In other words, giving up is not an option for either one of us now. )

So as for passion, how do you live without it? Better yet, why would you?

People that meet me might say I am excitable and even loud. Both of which are true, however not from anxiety or frustration.My excitement and volume come from passion. I live for it. I thrive on it. I want you to know “it” like I do. Oh, and people will like you better, you will feel better and, and, and.

Why you need it?

Passion can drive you if you understand it and harness it. Unbridled passion is never a good thing. I highly recommend to avoid it when possible. Personal knowledge and experience, just say no.Passion, when focused, is powerful, contagious and unstoppable.Passion is your nitric oxide tank, when needed, apply directly. The nitric oxide tank is the small fire extinguisher thing that the drag racers in the movies turn on at the very moment the drag race is tied. Once employed, they jettison ahead of their nemesis with ease. Got it?Water is a good example of something we make assumptions of in everyday life. We all know water is a staple of life. We all understand its’ many uses in everyday life. What is water to you? When we think of water most of us think porous, wet or squishy. It’s liquid right? What if you freeze it? You can build a building with it. Did you know that when forced with enough pressure through a pipe, water can cut a car in half? When heated, water becomes a fuel.

In other words, passion is not what you may think.

Where does passion come from?

You have to invent it, for yourself and others. Anyone can have it, and anyone can have it at any time for anything. Yes, you can. If I am wrong, then why is it that the cashier at every store in one of my favorite chain of stores is so excited to see me when I walk in? It only takes one passionate person to make boring really fun.Imagine what you could do with that kind of secret power supply. It’s scary.

Find your passions, people, and make the world a better place.

Does a culture need passion?

Have you ever gone to a convenience store where they greet you when you walk in the door? I have, and that culture is contagious. That culture also shines through in every part of the store. They are perceived by their competitors and their customers to be “better. ” Somebody gets it, and guess what, you like it too.On the other hand, every time you have a bad experience with your cashier, waiter, or Comcast representative, that experience happens for one reason- lack of passion. Most consumers think “they suck” or “they didn’t care.” Maybe the cashier was a millennial. That explains it. Wrong again.It reminds me of my 10-year-old daughter, Lillian. Lillian is a charmer, beautiful and mostly happy little girl, until homework comes around. Daily homework leads Lillian to become a grunting and grumbling little troll of a person. Papers shuffling, pencils flying and ultimately tears. This was my wife, Emily’s, daily life until she helped to make Lillian passionate about her homework. Let me be very clear. Lillian still despises her homework. However, she now loves doing it. How? The reality is, the cashier was fine. The waiter was fine. Comcast really does suck, but the customer service representative does not. The person on the other side of your transaction is a person just like you and Lillian. They don’t want to stink at their job. They don’t want to have a bad attitude. They are all lacking PASSION, and you are to blame. Somebody forgot to add “give a crap”  to the online application module because that’s what we are talking about. What do they care about? What makes them tick? What’s the one thing that makes the elephant stand on one foot at the circus?Find their passion. In the case of Lillian, it was my brilliant wife that resolved the problem. Lillian now has a very special set of pens/pencils that can only be used for homework. These items were presented to Lillian as if the Queen herself had used them to dispatch messages to the King. The only person who can use such fine instruments must be educated, hardworking and do their homework. You can be passionate about peanut butter and jelly even if you are allergic to peanuts and hate sugar.

PASSION

There is something that can drive passion within you, your family and your organization. If you want quality, you must have passion. If you want passionate people, then give them a reason to be passionate. You, your business and your success depend on it.

-Wes Stone