What happens when you hear someone talking about their passions? Do you swoon? Do you find yourself getting caught in the swirl of incredible energy that radiates from the core of their being? Do you feel their desire, drive, determination or motivation?
Or, do you roll your eyes and think, “that’s not really passion”? Passion is just a concept that’s trending.
Some people choose a word of the year. I’ve been tempted to choose a word of the year to avoid. Passion is one of those words. I see it used in resumes and cover letters, I hear it in interview stories, I see it on LinkedIn. Just as often as I see it, I hear people lament that they don’t know what they’re passionate about. They believe something is wrong if they can’t find their passion.
Who said you have to be passionate about your work?
Maybe passion in the workplace is part of the new work mythology. An ideal- you find work that has you bounding out of bed in the morning, working with wild abandon, passion that keeps your energy firing, your intellect stimulated and your thirst for advancement all but unquenchable.
The conspiracy of “passion” deserves special attention. Why? Because we can feel the power and intoxication of passion. Because we start to believe that if we found our passion we would be set for life, on our path, able to attract others with our infectious energy, able to attract employers and funders and partners. With passion, we’d have sustained energy for work and life and all that comes at us.
Passion becomes the goal.
Passion is the benchmark for the right career choice, the right job or organization.
There are two reasons that I want to take passion out of our career vocabulary. First, because I believe it sets the bar ridiculously high. For most of us, it takes years of experience to find work and work environments that feel right, that fit and that sustain us. We can feel glimmers of excitement, we can find things that inspire and motivate. Over time, we learn about what gives us satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop an understanding about what matters to us, what’s motivating and inspiriting. We’re lucky if the fires of passion get kindled.
We need time to find and feel our passions. It’s really okay not to feel them early in career, if ever.
Second, the word passion is overused. It’s almost like white noise. Telling an employer that you’re passionate about project management or teaching or data analysis is a snooze. Folks, it is a trendy word. It doesn’t help you stand out! Better to communicate your commitment, your ambition, your vision about where you want to be or where you want to make an impact. Talk about your values and how they influence your career or education choices. Show that you know what matters to you and communicate how that has shaped your decisions and your career pursuits. And, always be specific about what you’re aiming for. If you say you’re committed to climate change, give details about what you want to work, where you’re going to make change and why you want to work for the employer you’re talking to.
The next time you hear someone saying they’re passionate about their work, find out more. Find out what really gets them fired up and enthusiastic. Find out where they envision that passion taking them. Get them to speak from that passion about what they care about. You can do the same for yourself. Get more specific about what matters to you. You’ll have a much clearer vision of where you want to go in your career if you can discern what’s lighting you up and where you want to go with it.
And, if you’re trying to find your “passion”, give yourself time. Pay attention to what interests you and keeps your attention. Notice what you enjoy doing – over time, with repetition. Notice what kind of impact is important to you. Pay attention to what motivates you. Pay attention to your energy and enthusiasm.
As for me, I like the idea of “contentment”. I want to feel sustained motivation for me work and a sense of contentment when I look back on my day. Just like a cat lying curled up in a sunny spot, I want to feel like I have found my right work.