Tap into Your Passion
Written By Diane Vaccaro
I was reminded this week how important it is my values to connect with what I do.
During a discussion with a leader about HOW a goal was going to get accomplished, I noticed how easily his answer moved to the WHY. It started with, "How are we going to close this performance gap?" He had some very concrete ways he believed the gap could be closed, and after stating them he quickly moved into why it mattered. And he was deeply passionate about the why.
The interesting thing about passion is that it is contagious even if the values of individuals aren't identical. I am just as responsible for the performance gap to be closed as this particular leader is. But, the value he tapped into is not fully in alignment with my values. As I listened, I could see the nuanced differences between the language he used and the language I would use. And I was okay with that. It wasn't his values that was a motivator to me. It was his passion. I left the conversation asking myself, "Which of my values can I tap into to solve this problem that will make me as passionate as he is?"
I desired something greater from myself because I had been a part of a conversation with someone whose passion was ignited by his values, and they were both being lived out at work. I want to be passionate about what I do everyday. I want to know that what I do matters, not just to those I serve, but to myself as well. And it's up to me to make those connections.
How are you tapping into your values at work to become more passionate about what you do?