The One Work Question We Should All Be Asking

Is Your Work a Passion-Free Zone?

“It is the ultimate luxury to combine passion and contribution. It's also a very clear path to happiness.”
- Sheryl Sandberg

Are you following your passion at work? It's such familiar advice and a common question, but few of us have a ready answer for it.

We do our best to find a career that is challenging and brings us joy.  The perfect career is clear - meaningful work and being surrounded by great people.  Is that your situation today?  If so, you are very fortunate.

A 2013 Gallup Survey found only 13 percent of workers are actively engaged at work, feeling a sense of passion for what they do.  I regularly hear from clients that they struggle to find passion in their profession.  In fact, they often realize their current role never had much passion in the first place.  They were attracted by job features such as good pay, benefits, or convenient location.  Passion was discounted for steady, predictable work.

So if only a minority of workers feel passionate about what they do, what about the rest of us?  If we feel “checked out” how do we get back in the game?

I served as a mentor for a new leader who was wrestling with the passion issue.  He was frustrated with the emptiness of his position and realized his job was only a means to an end.  Go into the office, be polite and competent, and return home to enjoy his real passions in life.  We discussed what was holding him back -- fear of leaving a secure future -- and what it would take for him to make a change.  He connected the importance of living to work, rather than working to live, by capturing his passion and changing his career.   

Three keys to understanding the role of passion in your work:

Path to Happiness
Work is a part of your life and don’t be defined by it.  Your life portfolio contains many opportunities – spiritual, family, health, friends, and certainly your career.  The key is a successful portfolio, and the passion for your career does not have to be the primary measure.  Remember, while passion is about excitement, it is also relative – your career may not ring a ten on the passion meter every day.  Keep your portfolio in perspective and strive for an overall return.

Test the Water
What if you think you know your professional passion and need greater confirmation?  One step is to test the water and get engaged in this type of work on a limited basis.  Rather than a disruptive career change over the weekend, sample your new profession by visiting with others in the field or volunteering to get direct experience part-time.  Get the view from the ground before you commit.

Contribution
As the quote from Sheryl Sandberg tells us, the path to happiness is all about combining your passion with contribution.  Understand the impact of your new role – does it create the positive change you are hoping for?  Evaluate your passion not just on what it will do for you, but also on what will it do for others.

Follow your passion?  I say lead with your passion!  Know your path to happiness, and test the water to make sure you understand the impact you can make.  Take a fresh look and you may realize your ideal career is already in place.