Leader, did you get out of bed this morning feeling ready and excited for the day?
Without much thought, you could probably give me dozens of reasons to stay in bed…
People are draining
There's too much on my plate
I'd rather not sit through that meeting again
There is a difficult conversation that needs to happen
I'm just tired
Nobody sees how late I've been working
My comforter is too comforting
Can you relate?
It's so easy to get off track, discouraged, and even drained in leadership – because leadership is hard work. Hard work is a given. But leadership isn't just about hard work. It is about making real, lasting, transformative change in the world.
If it's true that everything rises and falls on leadership, then consider this: at its core, leadership impacts all of life.
Organizations need to be led; movements need to be led; services need to be led; schools need to be led; communities need to be led – so do governments, missions, creative undertakings, families, and even YOU need to be led! (Especially you. And leading ourselves may be the most challenging.)
You get the picture. Leadership is necessary in every sphere of life. People everywhere depend on leaders to lead them well.
And to lead well, you must keep the leadership fire kindled inside you.
But how do you do that?
As a leader, how do you wake up each day ready to hit the ground with a bounce in your step?
I believe PASSION is the critical component of leadership sustainability.
And if you hit the snooze button a few too many times this morning, I'd encourage you to keep reading until the end.
In his book Good Leaders Ask Great Questions, John Maxwell says, "Passion gives you two vital leadership characteristics: energy and credibility."
Energy is what's needed to be in it for the long haul. Credibility is a megaphone to your influence.
You gain pull-power for true leadership longevity by harnessing energy and credibility through passion.
And here are three areas where anyone can find (or develop) passion:
Passion for what you do. Finding meaning in your work is one of the best ways to ignite passion. According to the Harvard Business Review, "Of all the things that can boost inner work life, the most important is making progress in meaningful work." If you're struggling with your role or current job situation, take a moment to frame it in the context of a higher purpose. Do you understand the deeper meaning behind your work? How is your product or service making a difference? Whose life can be better because of your efforts? Is your role enabling you to spend more time as a family and keep a roof over your loved-ones' heads? Does it give you a stepping stone to a goal or role you're aiming at? Does your position provide a better life for those you lead? Why did you first choose to do what you do? Questions like these can give the sparks needed to fuel passion.
Passion for who you are. This is easier for some than others. I know this because I ask each participant to write down twenty things they like about themselves in one of my classes. You would think that I just asked them to recite the Constitution verbatim. I'm usually met with blank stares and puzzled looks. Truthfully, if I asked them the opposite (twenty things they didn't like about themselves), the pencils would be fiercely scribbling answers. Why is this? Well, because it's so easy to focus on all that we don't like about ourselves. This type of self debasing is passion-sucking. Because my faith is critical to all I do, I look to God to better understand who I am and why I'm here. Seeing yourself from God's perspective kindles passion. Have you stopped to consider what's great about you? You are unique. No one on Earth (now or ever) is exactly like you. You are here for a purpose. You aren't an accident or a mistake. You could have been born at any period in human history, but you were chosen for this moment at this particular place for a reason. You have value, dignity, and immeasurable worth. You can look in the mirror confidently and know you are one-of-a-kind awesome. And to acknowledge this is to care for yourself, believe in yourself, and recognize that there are things only you can do. If your passion seems to wane, take a moment to see you as God sees you. Know that when you put your feet on the floor each morning, you get the opportunity to live a day in a life that's unique to everyone else on Earth. Take time to treasure yourself – and the life you've been given.
Passion for bringing good to the world. You cannot control anyone else's actions in the world – but you can control yours. And leveraging your actions for good grows passion. Just this morning, a hurried driver waved at me in traffic. She didn't use her whole hand. At that moment, I wanted to return a gesture but decided to bring good instead. I smiled, nodded, and carried on – remembering just how hard it is to keep oneself under control. I had been reflecting on bringing good to others earlier in the morning, so I had an easier time responding and not reacting to rudeness. I remembered that I had the power to elevate (or bring down) someone's day —and that was fuel to press on to bring good as often as possible. Bringing good is part of my purpose. And purpose leads to passion. When we live purposefully, we live passionately. Reflect on your purpose. What good can you do today? As you bring good to others, you live transcendently. And according to Abraham Maslow (who developed the hierarchy of needs), that's a gratifying way to live.
At its core, leadership impacts all of life. As a result, people are looking for passionate leaders to lead them. Will that be you?
If you're struggling with passion today, consider what you do, who you are, and what good you can bring to the world.
Let your passion reignite and your enthusiasm spill over.
The world is hungry for leaders who demonstrate passion like this.
