Honing Your Craft

Passion is great. I have passion, you have passion. But in terms of letting passion lead your life (and success in business), it can only get you so far.

This is what I have learned after talking to many people who have passion but little success or direction in what they are currently doing.

Why? Because passion is an emotion that can drive you to do great things, but without defining those “great things” we could get directionless meandering and frustration.

Enter, your “craft”. Your craft is your skill, your vocation, your focus. In other words, the way you channel your passion.?

For example, you can have a passion for music, but have no desire or talent to play an instrument. That’s okay. You can enjoy music. You can go to concerts, you can explore new music on YouTube, you can discuss, at length, your favorite styles, songs, and artists. In very few cases, though, is that a career. A great and fulfilling hobby, but not a career for most. Still, totally cool.

A person with a passion for music AND a desire and talent to play a musical instrument is someone who has found their “craft”. We’ve all seen the amazing singer, guitar player or drummer who knocked our socks off their musical storytelling. We’re in awe, amazed. How did they DO that?

They honed their craft. Over years and years. No one had to tell that guitar player who is passionate about music and has found their outlet to go practice more. More likely, you may have to physically remove that guitar from their hands and remind them that it’s time for dinner. The pursuit of the craft can be all-encompassing, but it can also be very rewarding.

You might have guessed where I am going with this… what is YOUR craft??What do you pursue without having to be reminded??What do you work on that is enjoyable and helps you bring your passion to life?

In the business world, that can be a thousand things. You have a passion for amusement parks??Great!!?What is your craft within that space? Is it leading people, designing rides, or creating a delicious menu??Maybe you love animals. Super! Is your craft being a vet, an animal trainer, or a safari tour guide?

Maybe your craft is something that can be applied in a lot of industries, like leadership or marketing, but you choose to hone your craft within the walls of our incredible industry. Right on.

A developing craft for me is coaching. I can’t read enough articles or listen to enough podcasts about the art, the science, and dare I say the “craft”, of professional leadership coaching. I also get a little tingle when I have a coaching session scheduled with a client. It’s so exciting to see where the conversation goes and how we can work through tough issues.

I have a passion for attractions and people, but my craft is finding ways to help them achieve their goals. Hello coaching.

Here is how I know coaching is a craft I want to pursue. I came up with the following acronym while walking my dog. Some people take in the scenery or the fresh air. For me, this popped into my head.

• Conversations – coaching starts with getting to know people
• Observations – watch how they react, really listen to what they say
• Ask and assess – ask open ended questions and assess how they answer
• Connect the Dots – watch for trends and seemingly unrelated information that could be key
• Help and hold accountable – help people see the connections and take responsibility for their actions.

I didn’t come up with a new marketing strategy, menu item or guitar riff. I came up with that. Because it’s my craft.

So once again, what is YOUR craft??

• Start with passion. They think about your focus within that world.
• Take note of the things that you naturally spend time doing or trying to get better at.
• Where do your thoughts go when they have nowhere else to go?

When it comes to careers, finding passion and developing a craft, I encourage people to “pay attention to what you pay attention to.”?That little voice can be pretty powerful if you listen to it.

If you would like chat more about honing your craft, grab a spot on my calendar.

Thanks for reading!

Matt