Originally Published: February 2011
I met two people yesterday who moved me. I mean impacted me in the first few seconds of meeting them. Total strangers. Their positive energy filled me up. They are the inspiration for this blog.
In both cases, these women exuded pure joy about what they did and in one case what they want to do. The power of passion was very strong with both of them.
One is a mom of two young kids who brings joy to hundreds of people every week in her workout/dance studio through a unique blend of dance and exercise fun. It’s really a party with a helping of sweat on the side! The other is quietly pursuing her passion around her day job —- stoking that flame, even though her mother told her to pursue a “real job”.
The Power of Passion
Passion is an indestructible force. Some of us have the privilege of experiencing it in our careers or other aspects of our lives. I’ve had that incredible good fortune — as a journalist — meeting all kinds of fascinating people from all walks of life from celebrities to struggling families, — as as entrepreneur who is fuelled by trying to make a positive impact on people’s lives — in my case parents.
Everyday I meet people who have yet to discover their passion, or others who are too busy or afraid to pursue theirs. What a crying shame.
I discovered early on that I have to be passionate about what I do because I simply CANNOT fake it. I’ve had to try to pretend in the past (not for long) and it was like the air seeping out of a balloon. The life gets sucked out and the shell shrivels up. Part of life’s challenge is being able to identify what your passion is, the other challenge is having the moxy, tenacity and desire to go after it. Sure, it might not always be popular with friends and family, but they aren’t living your life.
Those who know me know I’m fond of this phrase: “FEAR REGRET MORE THAN FAILURE”. Trying something and failing has so much more value than never trying it at all.
As parents, we may compare this to having a child try a new food. Really, it goes so much further than that.
The dance instructor told me how she transformed an old mechanics garage into a simple, but beautiful dance studio. She and her husband spent 3 months fixing it up themselves. That’s passion. The stylist told me how she’s been told she has a natural talent for dressing people and making them feel good about themselves. She is going to pursue that despite her mother’s lack of support. That’s passion.
Passion releases a positive energy that is inspiring and infectious. A true gift and something to aspire to for our children and ourselves.
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