What makes us
excel in whatever we do? If we have to point out just one answer for that – it
is passion.
If we are
passionate about something, rest of the ingredients to make us effective in our
jobs automatically follow. So we will take interest in getting the right skill
sets, talk to the right stakeholders, have a change in attitude to like the
task even if it is not giving the right results initially and will be
undeterred by failures.
Being passionate
about something ensures there is abundance of energy. We will automatically
ensure that the quality of the output is of highest standard and we will not
compromise on the second best.
If we go to a
mall, if we see a glow on the face of the employees there, understand that they
are passionate about what they are doing. They are enjoying it and work does
not become a burden. Opposite of that,
if there is a morose look on their face and they are not happy that you
have come there to give some business to their mall, they are in the wrong
place and they will not go very far. The same experience you would have had in
some enquiry counters where person sitting behind the counter seems either
disinclined to give you the required information or at times can even be
demonstratively hateful towards you as you have dared to ask some question. My
daughter once had an experience of being shouted at by an enquiry counter
person in a municipal transport bus stand when she asked if there were any
buses towards our locality. He menacingly asked “Why can’t you see the time
table and why do you disturb me?” The reason she had to ask was because the
time table was in the local language including the numbers and she could not
read the numerals and we had just moved to that city. Obviously, the person
hated the job and was only there because of the salary.
We have body,
mind, heart and soul. If the job only caters to the body – in that it ensures a
salary so that we can get our meals, medicine, house and whatever money is
required for looking after self and family, then it caters only to the body
dimension. This alone cannot ensure passion. To get that, the job has to touch
the soul. It should become our purpose for life. We should do such a thing that
people will remember us for the contribution we have made in that job. There is
a saying – If we have to become a polisher of shoes, we should aim at becoming
that best shoe polisher in that part of the town, or even in the whole town, or
state or the country. This is not to get recognition, but to motivate us so
that our soul should touches the job and a passion is induced. If we do not
enjoy that job, we should quit it and
get to somewhere where our soul is. Kahlil Gibran explains it beautifully in a
poem called “Work is Love”. You can read it at
So, if you have
to excel in your career, please build a passion into whatever you are doing. If
you are convinced that this is not what you enjoy, find out what is it that you
enjoy and make all attempts to move to such a role. But if that is not
possible, find out the positive aspects of your current role and try and find
the passion. Slowly, you will start enjoying it and passion sets in. You will
then produce high quality work, will be seen as an asset by your manager and
when you go home, have a feeling that you have made a significant contribution.
