A Case for Passion - 22 November 2014
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A CASE FOR PASSION - 22 November 2014
Milky Way in Maine - Acadia National Park, Maine, File #1423831
Link to full sized version: http://www.tom-hill.biz/Galleries/Scenics/Elsewhere-Japan-Plains-Maine/i-K83JGgJ/A
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Recently I was thinking about what's the key ingredient a young adult needs to bring to their workplace to make a difference. My thoughts were if I could influence a particular characteristic in someone what could I focus on. At first blush, the things that came to mind was competency and knowledge. That makes sense. Being competent at what you're doing and certainly knowledgable about it is something any employer would value. As is my way, I thought a bit more about this. Competency and knowledge didn't seem deep enough for a core value. After all, people are not born with competency or knowledge. They gain that through a lifetime of education and experiences. Thinking more about what could drive gaining knowledge and competency I eventually settled on passion. As in, the overwhelming desire to learn and to do.
Why passion? Today we're in the midst of a communication revolution. The Internet and mobile computing is facilitating amazing technological capabilities. The improvement cycle of "name you're technology" seems to be accelerating with improved access to information and the ability to collaborate. The upgrades are happening so fast that concepts we took for granted are being revolutionized--e.g. Who would've thought 10 years ago we'd be carrying a whole library of information in our phone, replacing books and paper. And, the pace of improvement seems to be accelerating. What was learned five years ago might be obsolete in five years. Being able to adapt to the new technology and adapt quickly seems the key ingredient.
If simply being knowledgable isn't good enough, then what do you need? Being able to be more knowledgable a time goes by. What personal characteristics drives the desire to learn and be knowledgable to the issues of the day? In a word, passion.
With passion, comes an inherent drive to do, to conquer, to tackle the challenge. Passion makes you stay up late trying to solve the problem. Passion keeps you reading that book even though you're well past your bedtime. Passion keeps you motivated when you're at your limit. Passion keeps you saying yes, when the rest of your body is saying no. Passion is the catalyst for overcoming obstacles. Without passion, you're mostly stuck with what you have. In a rapidly changing environment, you're stuck in the past. With passion, the future is possible.
Passion gives you a tool that keeps you moving forward. It makes you ready and willing for what's next. If you don't have the knowledge for something you're passionate about, you've got the tools to overcome that. You'll get the knowledge. Valleys aren't too deep. Mountains aren't too high. With passion, you're jumping in with both feet "getting 'er done."
Cheers
Tom