I’ll start with the note that I’m writing this post while wearing my Kentucky gear in the office and getting ready for the biggest game in the history of the State of Kentucky.
Passion in business is critical to success. If you aren’t passionate about what you do it will come across and the opportunities you get will be fewer than someone with the same qualifications but has the passion.
Nothing sparks passion the way that rivalries do. Whether the rivalry is between sports teams, organizations or just personal rivalries passion can always be found. When I talk about what our organization does better than our competitors I definitely feel that chip on the shoulder peak its head up. I begin to feel the need to emphasize why we are better. But not just better – much better and the only really viable choice.
Right now I have that same feeling with regards to UK / UofL. I have caught myself numerous times this week giving all the reasons we will win and it won’t even be close. At one point yesterday I even said we should win by 17 points (to those that don’t know basketball, that’s a big statement). The passion I was feeling for UK is the same passion that comes over when selling a product or service.
You have to have passion in your life. There’s a line though that can be easy to cross when rivalry and a desire to win comes into play. Going to0 far can be much worse than not going far enough. Moving from passion to zeal to obsessive is the problem. Once you hit obsessive it can be too easy to completely lose focus of the other things that matter.
So…..have passion, don’t be obsessive. Go WIN!
(Go Big Blue!)