Live with Passion

Have you ever walked into a room where you didn’t know anyone, but were immediately drawn to someone who was in a conversation with others?  He or she may have been gesturing with their hands, or smiling broadly, their eyes were twinkling and clearly they were engaged in the conversation.  Suddenly you wanted to be a part of that group, listening to that fascinating person.  Why?  Because their passion for life was infectious.

People who live with passion are interesting.  They often see the humorous side of things, they believe in what they are doing, and they make others believe.  Passionate people have charisma and we just naturally gravitate to them.  People can be quiet and retiring, and yet still be passionate about their beliefs.  These are the folks that you need to get to know a little better before you discover what great people they are.  Again, you’ll be drawn by their enthusiasm for life, and for their strongly held views.  Passion brings joy to the person who feels it, as well as to those who observe it.  Passion makes us all more interesting.  

Some people are just naturally passionate about their life, their work, their family and their beliefs.  Some people need to learn to feel passion, to feel more involved in life.  Perhaps you feel a little reticent when it comes to joining a group in conversation.  You WANT to speak up, but you don’t feel quite confident that what you say will make people listen, or like you.  Use your job to “practice” your passion and help you gain confidence.  We have ample opportunity to bring warmth and exuberance to our jobs in this industry.  Pick a handful of customers that you really like, invest something of yourself in making their lives easier, in getting to know them.  Let your happiness at answering their phone show through.  Learn more about their business; practice being involved.  As you become more comfortable engaging them in conversation, let your eagerness to do a good job for them show.  

Becoming more demonstrative with your customers, taking their needs seriously, going the extra mile for them is a good exercise for gaining confidence when you want to move into that group at a meeting.   If you are interested in them, and you genuinely care about them, you will expand your capability to interact with others.  Remember the things that tickle your funny bone, the things that make you feel involved and share those things – within reason of course.  When you are thinking about yourself, you are also thinking about what impression you are making, if you are thinking more about the comfort of those around you, and putting them at ease by sharing funny, or happy or other things you feel strongly about then you are making that great impression, without trying to!  You will learn that what interests you will also interest others.  Just let your own passion for living show through and you will become one of those people to whom others gravitate!