The Role of Passion in Your Business

A friend chatted me up after I posted on Facebook about the abundance of business opportunities around us. She wanted to know how to venture into a business she could be passionate about. She'd thought about it but couldn't arrive at something tangible. This discussion is derived from that conversation. I will talk about what passion means in the context of a business. I will also talk about how to decide on a business path. First, let me state here that my usage of the word "business" is all inclusive. It envelopes any endeavour you wish to pursue in life whether as an entrepreneur, civil servant, humanitarian, religious figure, or corporate executive. But before diving in, let's discuss something fundamental to all of these.

Living a life of impact and fulfillment begins with defining one's "Primary Aim" in life. What is your primary aim in life? What is my primary aim in life? Have you asked yourself this question before? Answering this question requires the deepest introspection and careful thought about your life as a whole. Your primary aim is that legacy you wish to leave behind. It is what people will remember you for. Your primary aim is the grand summary of what your life has been about. It is that big picture which embodies everything you are doing and would want to do in life. I always explain primary aim with this hypothetical scenario. Just imagine at the end of it all. When you are lying inside the wooden box with family, friends, associates, and acquaintances surrounding you. Imagine for a second that you can hear all what they are saying about you. What would you like them to say about you? What would they say you lived and stood for? What would they be proud about? What would your family remember about you for and be consoled with? That particular grand summary would be your primary aim in life.

For some people, their primary aim would be serving the public honorably, rising through the cadre or ranks in civil service and finishing off as a permanent secretary or director-general or commissioner or ambassador, etc, and being known to have made considerable impact in the affairs of the nation. For another, it could be being known as that humanitarian who was at the forefront of fighting injustice against women and children. Yet for another, it could be spearheading the industrial revolution in his country in a particular sector. For another, it would be being known as having led God's flock exemplary as an evangelist or bishop.

In order to make the above instances more realistic, I will use three people I look up to as examples:

1. Late Dora Akunyili

Late Dora Akunyili was appointed as the pioneer director-general of NAFDAC following an exemplary service as a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She will always be remembered as a passionate crusader against fake drugs who entrenched the best practices in food and drugs regulations in Nigeria.

2. Aliko Dangote

Aliko Dangote started as a trader of various merchandise. His passion for manufacturing led to him establishing manufacturing plants for every merchandise he was trading. Today, the Dangote group embodies tens of companies into manufacturing of cement, sugar, salt, bags, noodles, drinking water, beverages, etc. Because of Dangote, Nigeria moved from being an importer to an exporter of cement. Nigeria awaits the completion of the Dangote Refinery which would reduced Nigerians independence on imported petroleum products. Aliko Dangote would be remembered as an astute industrialist who transformed every sector he ventured into.

3. Tony Elumelu

Tony Elumelu started his career as a corporate executive in the defunct Standard Trust Bank. He led the recapitalization of the bank which transformed him into a major shareholder and chairman of the UBA Group. Tony Elumelu isn't just a renowned finance manager, he is now leading the charge in providing finance to thousands of entrepreneurs across Africa annually. Tony Elumelu will be remembered for his contributions to the deepening of the banking and finance sector in Nigeria, development of entrepreneurship across Africa, and his philanthropic gestures.

Now think about someone else and see if you can decipher his/her primary aim in life. As you can see from the examples above, the primary aims of these persons are very clear. Every move they make is geared towards consolidating their primary aims. However, in retrospect, when they started out their various careers you wouldn't pinpoint what their primary aims were. Dangote might have known earlier on that he had passion for manufacturing. However, manufacturing is an expensive venture, so he started with trading, perhaps, to raise funds and build credibility with creditors. Sooner or later, the passion began manifesting in every move he made, every deal he sealed, and every partnership he went into.

What I'm saying here is that when deciding one's primary aim, you should not constrain it to your current circumstances. Think big even when you are starting out. You might have the primary aim of becoming the foremost fashion and clothing entrepreneur of your time but start out with buying and selling few clothes. From there you could set up a small boutique then set up a larger one then source for funds to establish a sewing factory and then begin to produce clothes for local and foreign consumption. You might have the aim of impacting in the lives of people through humanitarian endeavors and maybe becoming Africans next UN Secretary-General but you set out by volunteering and working in various NGOs. Sooner or later, you would rise in experience and credibility which would land a job at the UN and from there you are on your way to achieving your aims.

Now, we have established what primary aim is and I'm sure you are already thinking hard about what yours might be. While you are thinking about this, remember (as I said earlier) that your business is that endeavour you are involved in. Now, take note of this: "Your business is not end itself, rather it is a means to an end." Your end goal is your primary aim in life. Every business your venture into should be such which would take you a step closer to achieving your primary aim in life. Any business which isn't in line with your primary aim is a distraction. The earlier you realize that distraction and refocus, the better for you. That said, no one is immunized against distractions. So take whatsoever lessons you can derive from the distraction and keep moving on.

Additionally, in your pursuit of your primary aim, you might have to commence and terminate several businesses, you would encounter difficulties; you might even fail in some businesses, however, each of those experiences would make you better and set you up for better fortunes as you continue your pursuit for your primary aim.

Now, we have fully discussed the essence of one's primary aim, let's discuss what passion means with respect to your business. Many people keep saying "I'm looking for a business which I'm passionate about." At the end of the search, they really can't place their hands on something. Those who discover something usually fall into the trap of trying to convert their hobbies into businesses. For example, a lady who's good with making up would easily fall victim of thinking she should take up make-up as a business. No wonder we have proliferation of makeup businesses while other opportunities are undiscovered.

The true answer to the search of a business one is passionate about starts with realising one's primary aim. Passion with respect to business isn't passion for the individual business(es) you would venture into or the activities of the business(es). Let me make myself very clear: I am not saying you should not love what you do. Dedication is required for one to succeed in any business one ventures into. However, passion with respect to your business is "passion for your primary aim in life." Passion is the drive towards your primary aim in life. It is what makes you wake up everyday to run your business(es). It is what makes you stand up and continue when you fail or encounter difficulties. This might not sound logical or agreeable now, but let's expatiate on the person who wants to become a foremost fashion and clothing entrepreneur. When he or she started selling few clothes or opened a small shop/boutique, it wouldn't be reasonable for him or her to say he or she is passionate about selling clothes. But he can say he is working towards his aim of becoming a foremost fashion and clothing entrepreneur in Nigeria. That he is passionate about achieving his primary aim in life. That's passion in action. What he's saying in essence is that he's passionate about providing people with access to affordable clothing. That he is passionate about the jobs he will create for people in Nigeria. He is passionate about the value he will create in the economy. He is passionate about the foreign exchange he would preserve or attract when he begins to export his clothes to other countries.

So, passion in business is the drive towards the impact your business will have in the lives of people and your country. Passion with respect to business isn't doing what you love doing or are skillful at. You could begin a business you aren't skilled in but develop yourself in it or hire people who are skilled in that field to execute the business. Ultimately, the business would contribute to your primary aim. Your choice of businesses is determined by your primary aim, while your primary aim is driven by your passion. Without passion, your primary aim is dead and without a primary aim, you would be tossed around without any direction for your life.

So, define your primary aim in life. Let your primary aim guide the businesses you venture into. And let your passion drive your primary aim. Go live a life of impact today.

This write-up is incomplete without your views. I would love to hear from you. Kindly drop a comment. Thank you for reading.