Don’t Let Passion Be a Problem

Do you love your job? Do you throw yourself into it, not just looking for new possibilities but also following through on them? Do you drive yourself hard and expect others to keep up?

That can be good. That can be very, very good. But it can also be bad, if you do not maintain some balance.

Why good? Well, obviously, if you have a passion for your work, you will tend to bring more energy to it and try to do it better and better. Employee engagement is lacking across much of Asia, so anyone who comes in excited about their job can add something unique to their organization. Even though you do not get an “A for effort” in business, the truth is that if you try harder you are more likely to find what works and improve your skills, rather than just sitting back to see what happens naturally. Your excitement can also be very motivational, leading your employees to be just as excited as you, pushing themselves to do great work. And yes, it can be good for you personally…someone who is really into their work is typically going to be a lot happier on the job than someone who is merely going through the motions.

So, why can it be bad? Well, it might not be. But you need to realize that everyone else might not share your passion, and you might end up turning them off or pushing them harder than they are willing to go if you are super excited and they aren’t. If you demand too much from others to help you meet your personal goals, you may come off as more of a zealot, and few people are going to be comfortable following someone they think is a little “out there.” One way to avoid this problem is to recruit and retain people who are as passionate as you, but that is not always possible. You may need to temper your excitement if that excitement is liable to turn off your employees and colleagues rather than lighting a fire under them.

It also can be bad for you personally. There is always the danger of burning yourself out by working so hard and going so fast, and you want to save something for later. A career is a marathon, not a sprint, and you need to pace yourself. You also want to avoid setting expectations that are so high that you are unlikely to meet them, because failures are likely to be very, very demotivating if your whole life revolves around your job. Lastly, if your job is the center of your life, it can be very damaging to your personal relationships, and most of us need something outside of work as an escape; try to keep some sense of a good work-life balance.

There is a lot of talk in popular media, for fresh graduates and older job-changers alike, suggesting you should “do a job you are passionate about.” Passion is important in creative roles, and it can lead to a lot of success in other aspects of business. Like any other tool, though, it needs to be used carefully. Always strive to channel your passion so it is a benefit, not a burden.