9 reasons why we should follow our passion

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you,” says Oprah Winfrey. That’s exactly what JK Rowling, Ricky Gervais, and MS Dhoni have done—they felt the power that comes from passion. Their single-minded focus on one thing that excites them the most, combined with limitless passion has enabled them to succeed in life.

Passion is an innate trait that sets a person apart from others and drives them to achieve great feats in life. “Following your passion can make you do or achieve something that you have a strong desire for,” says motivational speaker Aman Jain. Entrepreneur Chris Gardner’s life story is a perfect example of how passion and drive can make a man successful. Sachin Tendulkar is also an exemplary sportsman whose talent, attitude, hunger to win, and undying passion helped him create several records and made him a legendary figure in cricket.

Passion paves the way for growth, success, and happiness in life. It also helps to introspect, discover new things about oneself and gives life a fresh perspective. Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs once said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” When you find that calling, you put your heart and soul into it, and that’s why Jobs believed, “people with passion can change the world for the better.” In this feature, Soulveda explains why passion is a non-negotiable trait if one wants to accomplish their dreams.

Creates a sense of purpose

Passionate people are focussed in life. They go the extra mile to get the job done. To some, their passion may seem odd, but for the people themselves, that’s the only way to achieve success. According to Jain, “Passion is all about finding the right purpose. Self-motivation is a by-product of passion.”

His views are endorsed by Vani Subramaniam, a consultant psychologist at Azim Premji University. She, too, says, “Being passionate about anything we do, work or otherwise, definitely contributes to a sense of purpose and the energy we are able to bring to something. This implies that we might have a more favourable attitude towards work and life when we feel strongly passionate about something we are in. It could even be in aspects where change is slow, for example, the state of affairs in the country, but it is an important factor that allows us to persist and stay with something.”

Fosters creativity and emotion

Passion can foster creativity from the positive emotions and energy it creates. People who are passionate are also curious, says Jain. This curiosity can lead to creativity and better performance, especially at work. Besides, positive emotions can lead to a happier lifestyle and workplace. Subramaniam says, “Anything that aligns body, mind, and soul in an optimum balance of feeling challenged without feeling overwhelmed, will definitely both aid and require creativity and innovation. It will find new goals to scaffold the task and also find creative solutions to problems.” Jain affirms people who follow their passion go about perfecting their skills or finding ways to ensure they achieve a better result.

Encourages bigger dreams, greater goals

Passion can make a person dream bigger by empowering them to redefine their goals and chart out a plan to achieve them. Passion motivates one to keep pushing their limits, which can be satisfying as well as gratifying. A study by Stanford University states that “…their motivation for the passion definitely increases. Since they actually want to do it, there is no procrastination…” Such passion and drive can be rewarding both financially and from a career perspective.

Helps cultivate leadership qualities

People who follow their passion are more driven than others. They take initiatives, which help them cultivate leadership qualities. For example, a person who is more passionate about his job will be in a better position to be given charge of a team. By following their passion, they automatically end up being growth-oriented. “Being passionate is directly related to leading by example,” says Jain.

Leads to ownership and commitment

People with passion have the zeal and enthusiasm to take ownership at work. They are naturally inclined to lead by example and their passion often rubs off on people around them. According to Jain, “Passionate people give their best efforts to make things happen. A good example is former President Abdul Kalam. He would not have been known as India’s missile man and certainly wouldn’t have achieved all he did if he was not passionate about his work.” Passion also means a commitment to one’s work and to the people one works with. As former Starbucks Corporation Chairman and multi-billionaire Howard Schultz said, “When you’re surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.”

Gives a sense of fulfilment

Jain says people who are passionate are more satisfied. This, he says, happens as they accomplish certain goals. “If a person has given his best and achieved his target, then it brings a feeling of accomplishment.” This leads to lesser stress during the journey to success and a sense of fulfilment post achievement.

Changes attitude towards work and life

Being passionate about one’s work can make a person more responsible, says Jain. He adds that passion changes one’s attitude towards work and life. They become completely engrossed in their activities, be it cultural, personal, or professional. HR professional Abhinav V says, “People who have passion for their work generally do not take many leaves. Some of them even report to work when sick.” This sense of purpose and commitment translates into everything they do.

Fosters never-say-die attitude

People who follow their passion do not quit easily. Challenges don’t deter them; they seek opportunities in them and devise strategies to pull themselves or their work out of any situation to meet targets. When one seeks something, they naturally persevere and persist to achieve it at any cost and that naturally entails a whole lot of passion. “People who follow their passion generally do not give up easily. They develop a never-say-die attitude,” says Jain.

Helps touch the lives of others

Some people are passionate about helping others. Generosity is a hallmark of such people. They go out of their ways to follow their passion. For instance, Mother Teresa. She didn’t limit her philanthropy to a specific country or region only. She touched the lives of people wherever she went. Not everyone can emulate her, but as Jain says, “People whose passion is to help others, go out of their way to ensure they do their bit.”

In fact, one can do anything if one is passionate, focussed and driven. Yes, it requires some support and immense strength of mind, but that develops along the journey. What’s important to remember is that anything done with passion adds value to life and to the world. True happiness is when that passion turns our dreams into reality.

Edited by Priyadarshini Basu