Passion

I’ve heard it a couple of times recently, especially as it relates to the Winter Olympics … “What are you passionate about?” or “What floats your boat?” or “What are you willing to dedicate every ounce of time and energy to accomplish?” And, lastly, “Do I care about it enough to try to convince others to join me?” Then it dawned on me that real passion is the driving force of society or as another person states, “Nothing happens until you sell something” and whatever you are passionate about you are going to sell to others.

Do you consider yourself a salesperson? Probably not, but the truth of the matter is that we are all salespeople in one fashion after another. It might be only sharing the latest great bargain at the local grocery store or the neatest new restaurant in town, but underlining the process is really nothing more or less than sales. You are selling an idea, place or thing. We do it all the time.

As Angie Segal, a business coach out of Silver Springs, Maryland shares in one of her recent articles: “Who amongst us considers themselves to be a salesperson? If you answered, not me, I’ve got news for you. Whether we like it or not, we are all salespeople … Ask yourself – Do I possess these attributes?
· Do I have a contagious, positive attitude?
· Am I self-assured, but not arrogant?
· Do I genuinely like people and do they like me?
· Am I having fun? If not, why am I doing it?
· Am I visibly honest and operating with unspoken integrity?
· Do I get excited about the prospect of helping others?”

She goes on to share: “I carry these questions in my car and review them every time I am about to go on a sales call. It is a valuable tool to put myself in the right frame of mind.”

Looking at passion a little differently a colleague of mine refers to passion as “’the gut factor’ … what grabs you at the deepest level and won’t let go?”

Interesting question for a Monday morning!

Quote for today: “Optimists choose action over inertia.” Loretta LaRoche