25 May Put Passion into What You Do
Original Spanish version published in El Comercio newspaper (Peru) on May 28, 2016
Nothing is more appealing than enthusiasm, drive, and passion. In all aspects of our lives, whether our romantic, family, or professional lives, we want to be close to people who are always passionate about what they do.
In the working world specifically, we admire those who can inspire others with their energy, strength, and passion. The gleam in their eyes for the work they do, the services they provide to others, or the products they sell ends up being their competitive edge most of the time. And I can say without a doubt that I have never met anybody who is successful who is not inherently passionate about what he or she does!
A distinctive trait in entrepreneurs is their passion for building a business from the ground up. Most of them are truly in love with their business and put their heart and soul in it. Could this explain why seven out of ten Peruvians dream of being entrepreneurs? Can it be that we want to personally live the dream of working passionately for a cause?
Of course, it is not easy to achieve this feeling day in and day out, especially if some of us are working only for the money or because we have to. Or if we have never bothered to really think about it is we want to do. What do I like? What am I good at? What do I want to accomplish in life? How far do I want to get? If we don’t ask ourselves these questions, how can we expect to be happy with our work (or with our lives for that matter)?
I am fortunate to work with thousands of people from all walks of life and positions who have the power to decide where they want to work next or what new professional activity they want to embark on. In fact, it is MY passion to do this on a daily basis! Through this work, I have learned that the only way to really help them be successful is to encourage them be 100 percent true to themselves. This starts by their asking themselves the above questions and others, such as, what do I have to keep doing? What do I have to stop doing? What do I have to start doing? What pitfalls should I avoid?
Those who are in the middle of a job transition process have to first overcome an initial mourning period –many are hurting because when they lost their jobs they found out in a way that showed little or no respect for their self-esteem or dignity, which happens much more often than we would like. The next thing we do is help them understand the conditions of the current job market and very clearly define for themselves that “what do I want to do?”
This is why being successful in a job transition process isn’t always a quick fix: for example, any professional who owns a car could dedicate his life to being a cab driver after losing his or her previous job, something that is worthy of respect and that one can start doing right away. The challenge is to help people find their true passion. And, it is fascinating to see the attitude change in those who find that there are jobs out there that actually allow them to do what they are passionate about. In fact, our relocation statistics show that 75% of our candidates across all positions and age groups end up changing their area of specialization.
When these people truly dare to be successful —as defined in their own terms— and bet on themselves with conviction, they can pursue their dreams with strength and passion. And people who are passionate and excited about their future are more likely to accomplish what they want. Could this be because etymologically the word enthusiasm comes from the Greek word entheos “divinely inspired, possessed by a god”?[1]
[1] Definition of enthusiasm, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/enthusiasm
