“One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.” ~E. M. Forster
Experts spend a lot of time trying to figure out what makes people successful. In his book The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, John Maxwell asserts that passion is what makes the difference, pointing out four truths about passion and what it can do for you as a leader:
- Passion is the first step to achievement. Your desire determines your destiny. The stronger your fire, the greater the desire – and the greater the potential. Albert Einstein said, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”
- Passion increases your willpower. There is no substitute for passion. It is fuel for the will. If you want anything badly enough, you can find the willpower to achieve it. I can’t imagine a person becoming a success who doesn’t give this game of life everything he’s got. ~Walter Cronkite
- Passion changes you. If you follow your passion you can’t help but become a more dedicated, productive person. “One of the things that may get in the way of people being lifelong learners is that they’re not in touch with their passion. If you’re passionate about what it is you do, then you’re going to be looking for everything you can to get better at it,” says Jack Canfield. In the end, your passion will have more influence than your personality or talent.
- Passion makes the impossible possible. Human beings are so made that whenever anything fires their soul, impossibilities vanish. A fire in the heart lifts everything in your life. A leader with great passion and few skills always outperforms a leader with great skills and no passion.
Give your heart a checkup. What are you passionate about? Without passion, we cannot give ourselves to excellence… we cannot work at it with all our heart (Colossians 3:23).
“And in me wake hope, fear, boundless desire.” ~George Macdonald