“Passion, though a bad regulator, is a powerful spring,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson. Both an asset and a liability, passion can be the driving force or demise in any business. Looking at a list of leadership traits, passion is ranked near the top of most and understandably so. Passion is an asset. It helps determine purpose, drives success in overwhelming circumstances, propels people through hard times and sharpens focus. The list of positive attributes for passion can go on for miles. However, passion can have a downside. Unbridled passion can rear its ugly head pulling you and your business in too many directions, resulting in confusion for you and your buyers. Henri Fredric Amiel said it best, “The fire which enlightens is the same fire that consumes.” When starting a new business or working on a current business plan so many people have difficulty finding focus because they love to do so many things. I hear that! It’s OK to be multi-passionate but it’s not OK to confuse your buyers. Start by focusing on ONE thing, but don’t lose site or stop doing other things that you love. Once you build one area you can expand to others. A confused mind never buys, so use your other passions to feed the ONE you are currently building.
Committing to one passion or idea may seem like snuffing out a burning flame, but allow this to be the kindling for something greater. Build your base business and allow that fire to grow after nurturing your first passion. It is OK to specialize! You will find that focusing on one thing will allow for precise execution, time management and ultimately more success!
Here are some tips on how to get clear on what to focus on:
1. Do some market research- ask around? What are people struggling with that YOU have a solution for?
2. Start DOING! You don’t get clarity by thinking…you get clarity by doing. You will feel if you are heading in the right direction (so will your bank account).
3. What do you kick-a** at doing? Are you a great marketer, promoter, writer, etc.? Start with one, you can always add later.
The Latin root of the word passion literally translates to mean, “to suffer”. This however does not have to have a negative connotation. Think about yourself or about others you know with passion for something. These people who are passionate in their pursuits, whether it be business, athletics or life are often willing to do whatever it takes to reach their end goal. Some make personal and professional sacrifices even. When channeling this properly and using the tips above to find clarity this is a huge advantage. A dispassionate person would not take it that one step further and in turn may not be as successful. Take your passion and narrow it (Just for now!) and then continue to build upon that one step at a time.
© 2012 Inspired Living, LLC
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Keri Murphy and the Inspired Living team is on a mission to empower people to use their unique talents in a way that allows them to Dream, Live and BE all that is possible through speaking, coaching, celebrity interviews and original on-line content. Get Inspired at inspiredliving.tv
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Well said! I’m with you on the multi-passioned. It’s not ADD it’s cultivating many talent sets over the years and trying to braid them into one that ties them all together. I’m working on that now. It’s a beautiful trait among curious people which can either be frustrating or pay off big once we figure out how that curiosity is a way of being that can propell us to greatness.
Keri, I really enjoyed this as it really hit home for me and what I’m exploring presently. Thanks!