You probably heard people say that passion is important in all aspects of life.
But have you wondered why? We asked 12 experts, why is passion important for success in life?
Read their top insights below.
Passion is an emotion that will help lead you to your purpose
I believe that by following your passion you will be closer to living a fulfilled life. Just imagine a world where everyone was creating and living into their true purpose.
The world would be lead from our hearts first and then be driven into action using our knowledge (our heads). All people are different and that is what makes this world awesome. Let’s be our authentic selves.
If you look at success solely as monetary gain, you may lose sight of your true purpose. The most alive people that I have met do not live for or are not driven by money.
Success should be measured by your own personal journey towards Aliveness, Passion and Purpose are just parts (though still important) of aliveness.
Regarding the topic of why passion is important for success in life, that really comes down to the whole reason why you are here on this planet at this moment. We all have a finite amount of time to make our mark on the world, and we all have unique gifts and talents.
When we claim and own those gifts, and then shine them into the world, that’s when we’re living our life purpose
When we are able to be in the flow of that purposeful journey, that’s when we light up the most. And that light—well, that’s your passion!
When you are feeling the passion for your life purpose, that is like turning on a lighthouse beacon.
I find that when entrepreneurs, or anyone really, is in alignment with that purpose and passion, then that is when we attract the people that we’re meant to connect with and serve in this lifetime—in business or our personal lives.
And when we’re helping others, isn’t that when life seems to make the most sense and feel most worthwhile? Success is a natural side effect of shining your gifts into the world and serving others—and we do that when we are connected and tuned-in to what makes us happy.
Here’s to lighting your passion!
Passion is the steam to your locomotive that drives success
Passion for your desire, for your vision, for your why is what makes the difference in success. Passion is the steam to your locomotive that drives success. It is the bridge that connects you to your ‘Why’, which is your core reason for pursuing a desire. It is the chips you put on the table to show you are invested in winning.
Without this motivating elixir, it can be difficult to jump over the hurdles that may present themselves on your path towards success.
It is also true that performance is better when you are passionate about your expected outcome. It helps you clearly define what success means for you.
How do you quantify your success if you are using someone else’s scale or don’t have a scale at all?
It is important to note that you don’t have to be enamored with the actions or tasks required to reach your goal. It is often better when your passion extends beyond the required actions. It becomes easier to align with your bigger vision.
Passion is the fire that fuels your journey through life
Everyone wants to do something great in life. Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you they want to be rich, famous, happily married, or raise brilliant children.
Despite our big goals and dreams in life, most of us never realize how challenging and difficult it is to achieve something unique and meaningful. When life gets tough and knocks you down, as it does for all of us at some point, passion and perseverance will help you keep going.
When you’re truly passionate about life and what you’re doing, you’ll wake up early, stay up late, and “tap dance” to work as Warren Buffet says.
Real passion is infectious, too.
When you’re passionate, you’ll start to affect everyone around you in life—your team, your family, and your friends. Life is challenging, but with a burning passion, you’ll realize that you’re stronger and tougher than anything life can throw your way.
Kristi Andrus
Head Coach and CEO, LUXI
Passion is essential for success because success without passion is hollow
Success with passion, on the other hand, is enriching. It improves your quality of life and contribution. Here’s how it works.
You graduate college, you get a job, you choose said job because it pays well or the industry has a strong growth outlook, whatever reason, you dive in, make your mark, climb the ladder, find success.
At some point, you’ll know yourself better, through life experiences and challenges, through maturing, through parenthood, and what matters to you will crystallize.
When this happens, your success will feel either necessary, a means to an end, a way to pay for and manage yourself, your family, your life. It won’t necessarily be driven by passion, more by practicality.
Or, if your success deepens, if you’re reinvigorated and ready to dive deeper, level up, build a legacy, you’ll know your success is fueled by passion.
When this happens, it’s a big deal.
Worst case, your success will feel elusive or shallow, like you compromised yourself, your ideas, your values for something that didn’t turn out to be what you hoped for anyway.
How can you avoid the worst-case scenario? By making choices in concert with your values, by evaluating your level of passion and engagement at various points in your career, and most importantly, by boldly choosing something different if your heart is not in it anymore. That’s the hard part.
Just because you are good at something, just because you’ve been promoted or are paid well, doesn’t mean it’s meant for you, for your highest good.
Ask yourself if what you are doing is your highest calling. If not, embrace the challenge of finding a path that’s more aligned with your ideal version of the future – what direction would you like the planet to move? Start there.
It’s big. Don’t let that scare you. Passion is always an important clue about purpose and potential.
The spark of passion is what drives people through the obstacles necessary for success
Think of the most successful people you know or admire. Think of four or five people who have risen to prominence within their fields.
From business to politics to the arts to athletics to academia, the spark of passion is what drives people through the obstacles and drudgery necessary for success toward any given goal.
We cannot succeed without hard work and perseverance, and for that, we require an ongoing, renewable source of energy.
Passion and dreams provide this energy. We may be able to live—and even live comfortably—by shuffling through a “day job” that asks little from us and does not inspire us… but to what end?
Most of us want to live lives of meaning, filled with energy to build or create something that inspires ourselves and others, and that contributes to the world in a meaningful way. This passion and these dreams are what make our lives worth living.
They give us the grit and determination to move forward when we encounter roadblocks, setbacks, or a temporary loss of faith. If we continually pay attention to our passion, and respect and nurture it, it will carry us forward to both inner and outer success.
Passion is important in every aspect of one’s life.
Say you own your own business. Having a passion for your business breeds success. Seeing your enthusiasm, and the lengths you are willing to go to be successful can be infectious causing all stakeholders to have a passion for it also.
Say your employees see you trying to find ways to save money. It could also motivate them to find ways as well. For example, for 12 years I was a university administrator. My whole department was funded by research grants.
One way I came up with saving funds was through recycling notebook binders. By purchasing in bulk where possible, and ordering those where labels could be easily removed and replaced with new ones, as well as reusing those in good shape, clean etc., saved a lot of money.
Once a student worker asked why I did this. I replied that saving money on binders and other supplies meant I could continue to pay his salary. Suddenly, he and the other students started coming up with other ways to save in the department.
When it comes to relationships having passion can keep it strong during trying times.
This is particularly important when you have been together as long (over 45 years)as I have. To keep our relationship fresh I plan quality time spent together. This means no cell phones during this time.
This can be a white table dinner out, or a simple dinner at home with good dishes in our dining room simply to celebrate reaching “Hump” Day on what started out as a crazy work week. Lastly, having a passion for life means always being true to yourself no matter what.
Passion is important because success takes work. No way around it!
And when challenges come up, when it seems easier to quit than keep going, when you don’t feel like getting out of bed, making another phone call, going to another networking meeting, investing in yet another funnel or assistant.
When all the decisions that need to be made aren’t easy or fun, you need to have passion about what you are doing or you could fall back into mediocrity, quit, give up or just plain feel sorry for yourself.
Passion gets you up in the morning, helps you make that phone call, do that facebook live that is scheduled and go to another boring ass networking meeting! Passion is what makes the game worth playing, the fight worth fighting and the success that much sweeter!
Passion is absolutely a key component to finding success in life for a number of reasons.
Read related article: How to be Successful? [23 Keys to Success in Life]
One of the main reasons is that when you feel passionate about what you are doing, and what you want to achieve, you will take the necessary intentional actions to make your goals a reality.
Without that passion for whatever it is you’re trying to pursue, you’re more likely to quit when you encounter a challenge or face a problem. However, when you’re passionate about your goals, you’re more likely to adopt a success mindset and overcome or reframe the challenging situation.
When we feel the passion in our lives, we have a more positive outlook, higher energy, and greater confidence. We’re not merely going through the motions, but actively taking steps to create the success that we want.
Passion is an energy resource that fuels our success in life.
Passion is a bit like the scenery on a road trip to success.
Without it, the long hours can seem to drag on, to the point that maybe the destination no longer seems worth it. Can you imagine taking a road trip with no scenery at all around you? Just blankness…monotony.
Now switch gears and imagine a landscape splashed with vibrant colors, the occasional flash of an animal passing by, the evolving clouds and weather patterns that accompany the trip.
It’s those additions which help make the trip bearable and even enjoyable. Passion serves to do precisely this, engaging us with the world around us and giving us motivation and encouragement to keep going, as we move toward whatever is our own vision of success.
Ilana Adler
Travel Agent, Lonvoyage
I find my success and passion through travel. Although I was successful as an actor, and a top salesperson in the corporate world, I found I wasn’t passionate about either industry. After studying in Israel for a month, and venturing around the world, I found my true path to be in travel.
Because competition with the Internet is fierce in the travel agent world, I can confidently say what makes me successful is the following:
- Relating to my clients – empathizing and truly understanding my client’s needs on a deeper level. People crave interaction, but in today’s oversaturated online market, it’s hard to reach people. That is why I tailor my messages to my clients and PICK UP A PHONE.
- I do my homework – I research, research, research. So when someone is overwhelmed by the inundation of information online, I can guide them in the right direction.
- I am a product of the product – I travel, so people see that and trust my taste. I blog about my experiences and share my photos on Instagram so people can live vicariously through my own journey.
I believe that passion is the most important element to any success in life.
When you seek success without a passion, yes there’s a chance you may make money, but is monetary success really success?
I believe true happiness is pursuing your passion. Pursuing your passion allows you to maintain a fire inside you that motivates you in the low times and keeps you excited for the best of times.
Leading with your passion gives you a vision that you can not gain when just seeking monetary success. This vision helps to create a path that leads you to success.
Without a vision of your passion, how can life form a path for you? This is the key to success in any avenue. Follow your passion and success awaits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have more than one passion?
Yes, it is absolutely possible to have more than one passion. In fact, many people pursue multiple passions simultaneously or at different times in their lives. Here are some reasons why it is possible to have multiple passions:
People are complex and multi-faceted: People have unique interests, skills, and experiences that make them who they are. It is natural to have different passions that reflect different aspects of one’s personality and life experience.
Passions can develop and change over time: Just as people change and grow, so can their passions. It is normal for people to develop new interests and passions over time or to rediscover passions that they had previously put aside.
Pursuing multiple passions can lead to balance and fulfillment: Pursuing multiple passions can provide a sense of balance and variety in life. Different passions can fulfill different needs and desires. Pursuing multiple passions can prevent one from burning out or becoming stagnant in one area.
How do you discover your passion?
Discovering your passion can be a difficult process, but here are some tips to help you get started:
Explore your interests and hobbies: Think about the activities you enjoy doing in your free time and try to identify common themes or patterns. This can be anything from reading to hiking to cooking.
Think about your values and beliefs: Consider the things that are most important to you, such as your beliefs, principles, and priorities. This can help you identify areas of interest that align with your values.
Consider your natural talents and abilities: Think about the things you are naturally good at, such as playing an instrument, writing, or solving problems. This can help you identify areas where you have a natural talent and could excel.
Consider what makes you feel fulfilled and energized: Consider what makes you feel happy, fulfilled, and energized. This could be anything from helping others, creating something new, or solving complex problems.
Experiment with new activities and experiences: Try new things and be open to new experiences. This can help you discover new passions and interests that you may not have considered before.
Practice mindfulness and self-reflection: Take time to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This can help you better understand yourself and identify areas of interest that appeal to you on a deeper level.
Remember that discovering your passion is a process that takes time and effort. Be patient and open-minded, and try to enjoy the journey of self-discovery.
Why does passion lead to happiness?
Passion can lead to happiness because it creates a sense of purpose and meaning in life. Pursuing something with passion means that it is important and valuable to the individual, and this sense of significance can create a deep sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.
In addition, passion is often associated with a high level of engagement and flow, where an individual is completely immersed and absorbed in the activity or goal. This state of flow can provide a sense of joy and pleasure that can contribute to overall happiness.
Moreover, passion can also lead to positive outcomes and successes that can further increase happiness. When a person is passionate about something, they are likely to invest a lot of time and effort, which can lead to a higher level of skill and expertise.
This can lead to achieving goals, receiving recognition, and feeling a sense of accomplishment, all of which can contribute to feelings of happiness and well-being.
Passion can also provide a sense of connection and belonging. When people share a passion or interest, it can create a sense of community and connection with others who share the same passion.
This can lead to the development of supportive and meaningful relationships that can be an important source of happiness and fulfillment.
Is passion more important than talent?
There is no simple answer to the question of whether passion or talent is more important, as both can play an essential role in achieving success.
However, it’s worth noting that passion for something can often provide a more powerful driving force than talent alone. Here are a few things to consider:
Passion provides motivation. When you’re passionate about something, you’re more motivated to do the work necessary to achieve your goals. This motivation can help you get through challenges and setbacks that might otherwise discourage you.
Talent isn’t always enough. While talent can be an asset, it’s not always enough to succeed. There are many examples of incredibly talented people who never reach their full potential because they lack the drive and determination that comes with passion.
Passion can be developed. Some people are naturally more passionate about certain things than others, but it’s also possible to develop a passion for something over time. In fact, many people discover their passions by trying new things and exploring new interests.
In the end, whether passion or talent is more important is a matter of personal opinion. However, a combination of the two often offers the best chance of success and fulfillment in life.
Can you succeed without passion?
While it is possible to succeed without passion, it can be more challenging to be successful in the long run and find fulfillment and happiness in one’s accomplishments.
Success often requires hard work, dedication, and perseverance, and without passion, it can be difficult to maintain motivation and focus on the end goal.
Without passion, success can also feel hollow or unfulfilling because there is little personal commitment or attachment to the outcome. People who lack passion are more likely to feel unfulfilled, uncommitted, or burned out, leading to lower satisfaction and well-being.
However, success can also be achieved through external factors such as financial incentives, social pressures, or obligations, which may motivate some people to achieve their goals without passion.
Nevertheless, such success may not lead to long-term satisfaction or meaning and purpose in life.