How to Tap into the “Passion” at Work

If you ask most people what they want out of their career, they will say satisfaction. And yes, job satisfaction is a good thing. But let’s take it a step further. The people that seem to be the happiest in their careers are the ones who not only get satisfaction out of their work but are able to bring their passions into their work also. Passion at work? Yes! 

I firmly believe that the road to success is paved with passion. There is magic in passion. If you believe in your work, you’ll take more risks, bounce back more easily from setbacks and rejections, and work longer and harder on your projects. 

So how do you tap into the passion at work? Here are some tips.

Remind yourself of why you went into this line of work in the first place. 

Perhaps you turned a beloved hobby into a career, but now have become mired down in the minutiae and have lost sight of the meaning behind your work. Try to take a step back from the daily grind and tap into the passion that drove you to choose this line of work. Assuming your work was a choice (and that you were initially happy with that choice), spend some time thinking about WHY you chose this work and the excitement you experienced in knowing that you get to do this work for a living.

See your work from the eyes of a very happy, satisfied client or customer. 

Think about your favorite client or customer. The one who treats you and the work you do with respect and makes working with them fun. Now see the work that you do from their perspective. Looks a lot more interesting from that angle, doesn’t it? 

See your work from the eyes of a grateful client or customer whose life was somehow changed in dramatic ways based on the work that you do. 

Again, this is all about finding passion in your work. What better way to do that than to view your work from the eyes of someone whose life was affected in measurable and important ways by the services you performed or products that you or your organization provide. 

Focus on projects that excite you and allow you to use your unique talents and skills. 

All too often, we get caught up in the humdrum of work that isn’t particularly interesting, and that doesn’t excite us. Try to seek out projects that allow you to use your talents and skills, and that downright excite you. I realize not all work projects fall into this category, but to the extent you can, make sure you always have at least one juicy project to focus on that can help to eclipse all the other, less desirable ones. 

Stretch yourself and try something new. 

Tired of doing the same old type of work repeatedly? Then seek new pastures at work. Let it be known that you’d like to try some new ways of doing things, or new types of projects. Try to do a similar task or project a different way or choose different colleagues to work with from time to time. Mix it up to keep things from getting stale. 

Go for the gold and seek a promotion, a new client or account. 

If you realize that you are holding yourself back, start to think about how you can “go for it” in your work. Can you apply for that amazing opening in another division that you’ve been eyeing? How about a promotion in your own department? When was the last time you tried to obtain a great new client or head up an initiative or project? Be your own best advocate and the passion will flow a lot more than usual!

A previous version of this article was published in Lisa Montanaro's blog.

About the Author

Lisa Montanaro is a productivity consultant, executive and career coach, organizational development strategist, speaker and author who helps people live successful and passionate lives and enjoy productive and satisfying careers. She is the author of The Ultimate Life Organizer: An Interactive Guide to a Simpler, Less Stressful & More Organized Life. Through her work, Lisa helps people deal with the issues that block personal and professional change and growth. 

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