Passion – Is it Necessary in the Workplace?
This month's research has been on passion and whether it is necessary in your work or if you can just have interests that you are passionate about after work. According to an article by Deloitte, 88% of people are not satisfied in their jobs and only 12% of people find passion in their work. So if we base it on the research of what is happening currently I would have to say that passion is not necessary in the workplace. But are people able to fill up their passion needs in their homes and hobbies so that they are leading a somewhat happy life? That is the question we have to ask ourselves.
But just because you can do work just to pay the bills, should you be satisfied with the situation you find yourself in or should you be working towards finding work that fulfills you? According to Marcia Wieder, in Doing Less and Having More, "Connecting with your passion is essential for creating the kind of life you want...Passion can give us energy to handle the things that overwhelm us...When you are in touch with your passion, you have more energy, vitality and creativity."
I began discussing what I was learning with other people and discovered that a lot of people try to find work that pays the bills and provides a comfortable living. Many people will try to fit in what they love whenever they have spare time. Other people often end up picking a career based on what is in demand in the area in which they reside. Some are lucky enough to find employment in a field they are passionate about, but may need to supplement their income with a second job or learn to be very frugal because what they are passionate about is not in a high wage earning field.
However according to the research by Deloitte, employers benefit when the employees are people who are passionate about what they are doing. It was noted that the employer can also ignite passion in employees based on how employees are treated and opportunities that are presented to them.
Passion helps with focus. When a person is doing something they love, it holds their focus longer and they do not lose energy as quickly as when they are trying to focus on a task that does not interest them. Passion breeds creativity and innovation. People want to do the job because it excites them and energizes them. When you are doing something you love you are more willing to "go the extra mile" to meet a deadline because it is fulfilling to you. Passionate people are more satisfied and less stressed than those lacking passion on the job. It was found that the being at work was not a drudgery and passionate people worked at creating a positive work environment where achievements were celebrated and valued.
Now that we know that passion is necessary in the workplace what are the steps to find our passion and begin to incorporate passion into our workplace and more into our daily lives. Wieder outlines the steps in a passion pyramid, which has 4 stages - Purpose, Dreams, Projects and Scheduling. I will endeavour to give a brief outline of each phase.
Purpose:
Purpose has 3 components. Living on purpose means getting in touch with your
spiritual center, discovering what is uniquely you, and learning how to touch others with your gifts and talents. Don't panic if yourpurpose is not clear to you. You may be lost in the clutter of life'sdealings but underneath you are still there. You can start today and rediscover who you are and what you love.
I could tell you my personal story to illustrate this point as I am currently
digging out from under the clutter of a huge change in my life, but I think all
of you have your own stories of being kicked in the teeth by life so
can pick your own story. However, I am rediscovering who I am and you can too.
I take long walks in nature and have listened to music and have found a spiritual
practice that works for me. I am trying new jobs, going to new places, exploring
new hobbies and taking personality tests etc. and rediscovering me. What I am
discovering is that I do have gifts and talents which I can use to touch
other people in a positive way. I have discovered that I was touching people
in a positive way even when I felt I was lost.
Remember, as Wieder points out, "Your purpose is anything that touches your heart and makes a difference to you."
Dreams:
Once you know what your passions are and have answered the question of "Who am I?" then you can move onto what your dreams are. You look at where you want your life to go. You can inject new ideas into every aspect of your life or you can be more specific and begin with just your work or just your home.
Projects:
This stage is where you take your dreams and begin to make concrete steps to make them a reality. It is attaching due dates to the steps you have outlined so you are moving forward from the dream stage to the fulfillment of the dream.
Scheduling:
Once you have the steps outlined then you put actual dates on the calendar so that you will meet your objectives. You may feel like the task is too scary but if you remember that this is what you love it won't be sapping your energy like being in a job without passion will.
I have outlined very briefly what Wieder goes into in great depth in her book. For all the exercises and ideas she gives for helping you find your passions and turning them into a reality you will need to delve into her book.
From my own journey of self-discovery I can state emphatically that the journey will be worth it for you. The more you know of yourself and the more you integrate the lost parts of yourself into your everyday living, the more complete and confident you will become. Whether you are an employee or a business owner, passion is the juice you need to love your life. When you love your life that transfers to those around you and has far reaching effects.
Works Cited
- Wieder, Marcia. Doing Less and Having More. New York, Quill. 1998.
- Passion at Work: Cultivating Worker Passion as a Cornerstone of Talent Development. Accessed November 24, 2018 from https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/topics/talent/worker-passion-employee-behavior.html
- Passion for Work is More Important Than Engagement. Accessed November 24, 2018 from https://www.officevibe.com/blog/passion-work-important-engagement
- Top 15 Reasons Why Passion at Work is Important. Accessed November 24, 2018 from https://content.wisestep.com/passion-at-work/