Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark.  ~ Henri Frederic Amiel

Have you ever heard the story of Philippe Petit a passionate tightrope walker from Paris? He saw a magazine article about the Twin Towers in New York and came up with a vision of walking a tightrope between the two towers. Can you imagine all the things he had to consider? What was the architecture of the towers, what type of special equipment would he need, how he would obtain the money to get to the United States, the endless hours of practice of his high wire act. Imagine how focused Petit would need to be to make his seemingly preposterous dream come true.

You must not fall. When you lose your balance, resist for a long time before turning yourself toward the earth. Then jump. You must not force yourself to stay steady. You must move forward. ~ Philippe Petit

Then one night, Petit climbed the towers with equipment in tow and spent the night rigging a steel cable between the towers. The next morning, Petit mounted the high wire for his performance. Of course the onlookers on the street were amazed and the police were ready to arrest the illegal tightrope walker. As a consummate showman, Petit focused on his act and made eight trips back and forth between the two towers before turning himself in to authorities. Petit could have let distractions keep him from his dream, but, the depth of Petit’s passion to focus and accomplish the vision diminished the obstacles to his plan.  He showed true confidence in himself and his abilities.

It is treacherous on a high wire to change your focus point and suddenly look down. ~ Philippe Petit

Passion Increases Motivation

If you don’t love what you do, you won’t do it with much conviction or passion. ~Mia Hamm

As we can see from Petit’s example, passion is the fuel of persistence in anything we dare to dream. Our inner fire drives us to excel, it drives us to act, and move towards our goal. Put simply, desire determines destiny. Our passion propels us to attain our objective and pursue our purpose with excellence.  The ability to inspire others and achieve our dreams is based on the size of the passion burning within us.

It Keeps us Learning

Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow. ~ Anthony J. D’Angelo

The more passion a person has, the more inclined they are to work hard on self-improvement, thus increasing an individual’s chances of success.  By having a growth mindset we open up to countless possibilities that can arise.  Furthermore, we notice these opportunities in a different light.  The light of personal development and that never ending potential allows us to shine in new and inconceivable ways as we apply our new knowledge.  Passion allows us to expand our perspectives. 

Passion Intensifies Creativity

Passion is one great force that unleashes creativity, because if you’re passionate about something, then you’re more willing to take risks. ~Yo-Yo Ma

Our passion supplies us with an added advantage over others. For example, after a championship game you may hear the commentators’ remark on how the winning team “wanted it more.” The more passionate we are the more likely we will prevail.  The more likely you will think outside the box, look for an imaginative solution.  With our positive outlook we are more able to overcome difficulties and problem solve.  We are willing to risk a bit more as our passion ignites our creativity. 

It Strengthens Resolve

A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position. ~ John C. Maxwell

Our Passion makes the impossible possible. We are wired in such a way that when our souls are ignited we no longer flinch when we come upon obstacles that appear in our way. That’s what makes passionate people so successful. We can imagine the possibilities and the opportunities for progress whereas dispassionate people only see the roadblocks and the reasons why the dream or the goal cannot be reached.  Passion reinforces our determination to overcome obstacles we encounter and we become more resilient.

Passion fuels Enthusiasm

Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you. ~ Oprah Winfrey

  We attract to ourselves other passionate people because our enthusiasm is contagious.  The group dynamic changes when passionate people are present, always for the better.  There is an energetic excitement in a team that is led by a passionate person.  This enthusiasm and energy we get from others continues to kindle the passion within us as well as energizes our teams.  

There is no passion to be found playing small–in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living. ~ Nelson Mandela

  Do you have enough passion about what you are trying to achieve? Ask three people you trust, and will be very honest with you, to give you an evaluation about the level of passion they see you demonstrate. Ask about the ways in which your passion is most noticeable. If they think your passion is low, then do some soul-searching to recapture the enthusiasm you are missing. If you need help to find lasting enthusiasm for those things you used to be passionate about please contact me.  I would be happy to help you rekindle the passion to help you achieve your goals.

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