As a creative person you may have lots of interests—lots of abilities and lots of talents. That’s fine if you’re making Heinz 57 ketchup but it won’t serve you well if you want to be seen as an expert in something.
Michael Jordan didn’t just wake up as the best basketball player to ever live— he nurtured an interest, practiced to build his talent, and developed it into a meaningful passion. Carrie Underwood didn’t just wake up as the superstar performer she is. She put in thousands of hours studying, practicing and learning to get where she is today. I’m not a better writer than everyone else in the career field—but I have spent years learning the business of being an author. Our presenters at Innovate, including Michael Hyatt, Kent Julian, Chuck Bowen, Chad Jeffers, Scott Stearman, Jared Angaza, Joanne Miller and Dorsey McHugh have spent years becoming experts in their categories. You can choose your speciality and do the same.
How do you “find” your passion—the seed of your business?
- Choose something you already find fascinating and love to talk about.
- Choose something where your life experience has added to your understanding.
- Make sure it’s something where you have the seed of a talent.
- Choose something where you want to learn more.
- Make sure it’s something in which you want to heavily invest time and energy for the next five years.
Listening to “conventional” wisdom is a shortcut leading to looking at extrinsic rewards only—position, title, income, etc. You have to do the hard work to look inside—and identify your intrinsic motivators to reach your full potential.
You don’t have to be the only one or even the best, but you have to be growing. Never forget that on the journey of life you have come further than some others, and the lessons you’ve learned and the talents you’ve developed—at this point—are helpful and valuable to others.
Passion is the rocket fuel that allows you to excel.
