If someone were to ask you what you’re passionate about, would your answer include your job or career? My guess is that for many, the answer would be an emphatic no! Is it even possible then to find passion in a job that is not necessarily your dream job?  The topic of passion or lack thereof in the workplace came to me on Saturday night as I was sitting amongst thousands of fans in an Amphitheatre, enjoying my own passion in life.  For me, it comes in the form of the rock band Rush.  There is so much joy in being surrounded by a group of people who share the same passion. I wondered what the impact would be if this same type of passion was shared in most workplaces. Passions can be hard to describe to others who don’t share the same passion.  They often seem to center around things we get to do or enjoy rather than things we have to do. This may be one reason why passion seems to be missing in the workplace. Whether you are in your chosen field or not cannot be the one determining factor. Sure, some jobs are more enjoyable than others but the question that remains is whether there is something in the workplace, preventing you from having this missing ingredient?

It is not hard to tell who possesses this ingredient in your job. It is clearly evident in their actions and how they interact with their co-workers and customers. They don’t have to tell us about their passion because their actions tell the whole story. They are not concerned with title, status or power. Instead, they find joy in the little things that most people miss. Having someone who is passionate about what he or she does is the best marketing strategy that a company can have.  Unfortunately, the opposite of this is also true. As a consumer, we can all think about a time that we have interacted with someone or a group of people whose passion was clearly not in their job.  However, it may not always be so easy to spot. I have a close friend who feels stuck in his current profession. He is very good at what he does but feels that his work is so often just shuffling papers around and filling his time with activities that will be deemed meaningless in the future. He has mentioned many times that he finds no passion in what he does. One could ask why not quit and find a job in an industry that you are passionate about? In many cases it is easier said than done, especially if one has responsibilities and a family to provide for.  What then can one do to find passion in their current job?

Here are some ideas that may help you find this missing ingredient:

1.       Volunteer- Volunteering at something you enjoy can provide you with an alternative source of passion, which you may not find in your current job.
2.       Choose To Be Happy- Sounds simple but simplicity is often difficult to put into action.
3.       Do Something You Love Every Single Day- If you can find something you enjoy doing every day, your job won’t seem so bad after all.
4.       Take Charge of Your Own Professional and Personal Development- Don’t wait for your employer to provide this.
5.       Ask For Feedback- Don’t wait to hear from your boss or your co-workers. If you are not getting the feedback you need, why not ask for it?
6.       Avoid Negativity- This includes negative conversations, gossip and unhappy people as much as possible.
7.       Make Friends- Building friendships at work can provide a much happier work environment.
 


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