Is Passion The Problem?
Passion just might be preventing you from moving to the next level
Those who’ve worked in a non-profit, in education, or in some other purpose-driven organization know … you (often) do it for the mission, not the money.
You want to change the world. You may even believe you can.
Passion fuels your purpose.
In a completely unrelated but well-timed conversation next to me, one person just said to the other “you’re a true believer.” “Yes!!” was the response. Exactly this—you’re a believer.
And passion doesn’t just show up in mission-driven organizations—the corporate world has its share of passion, too.
We’re passionate about our work culture (some can be almost cult-like in how it drives our identity … but perhaps that’s a post for another time?). We believe passionately in our products. We find or create passion projects.
Passion is a fantastic thing … until it’s not.
Passion can cloud our judgement—prevent us from objectively evaluating good and bad, strengths and weaknesses, advantages and threats.
The object of our passion is like our baby, and no one thinks they have an ugly baby. Even if it is—objectively—ugly.
People (and organizations) that fall prey to passion can find it challenging to move from good to great, from incremental to exponential growth.
There’s an old adage: “what got you here won’t get you there.”
To get from here to there requires change. Evolution. Growth.
Passion might have gotten you here.
But you’ll need something more to get to the next level—objectivity. The truth that comes from a dispassionate view and understanding of reality.
And, the will to do something about it.
Sometimes taking a cold, hard look at reality is scary … and it’s even scarier to act on what we see. Do it anyway.
