What is Passion?

What is passion? Recently after a presentation, I was once again thanked for my passion. The compliment was genuinely given, as was my returned thank you. However, as the day progressed, my thoughts kept returning to what really is passion? For the next several days as I attempted to ponder this question, other questions surfaced. What does it mean when one has passion? What separates people with passion and those without passion? Is passion always positive? Could passion be negative? Is there a relationship between passion and purpose? How does it fit me?

Sometimes the best place to begin to define a word is with Webster. Webster's dictionary states that passion is an emotional response.

Being an intellectual conceptualizer or more simply stated a heurist, I wrote down 3 words ? passion, performance and purpose.

Consider the following: Imagine someone standing with out stretched arms and open hands with one hand holding the word passion and the other holding the word purpose.

What I would like you to consider is that passion is the present where others as well as ourselves see our emotions. Purpose is the future, our true north, where we constantly strive towards to reach our vision. And the performance is the individual with the outstretched hands. Performance is the collection of all past experiences and current actions where we continually apply knowledge as we hold our passion and purpose.

Passion exists with our purpose and performance as a partner to help achieve the present and the future that we desire for our families our friends our communities and ourselves.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. President of ADVANCED SYSTEMS, is the Process Specialist. With over 25 years of business and education experience, she builds peace and abundance by connecting the 3P's of Passion, Purpose and Performance through process improvement. Her ROI driven process solutions affect sustainable change in 4 key areas: financials, leadership, relationships and growth & innovation with a variety of industries. She aligns the strategies, systems and people to develop loyal internal customers that lead to external customers. As co-author of M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Potential:Living an Amazing Life Beyond Purpose to Achievement due for June 2005 release, Leanne speaks nationally to a variety of audiences. Please call Leanne a call at 219.759.5601 or leanne@processspecialist.com if you are seeking amazing results.

Copyright 2005(c) Leanne Hoagland-Smith, http://www.processspecialist.com

Permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with a live link, and the article is not changed in any way (grammatical corrections accepted).

---

Without Love

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 30,... Read More

How You Can Change Your Destiny

The outer conditions of a person's life will always be... Read More

Getting Unstuck

According to the Buddhists, between January 29 and February 12... Read More

Important Things to Know / Remember About Life

I love you not because who you are, but... Read More

The Cracked Pot

Letters on Life#3Some experiences you never forget. In some of... Read More

The Eyes of the Clown

There are few enough miracles in life, God knows. I... Read More

Death Wish

I tremble at the thought that millions of people suffer... Read More

Beautiful Day Blues

The massive orb dominates the aqua crystalline backdrop of its... Read More

Winning the Thought Battle

If you have read my articles or heard me speak,... Read More

Attitude Adjustment

"If you are pained by external things, it is not... Read More

Self Help When Youre In Debt

It's no fun being in debt.Money shortages are always stressful... Read More

Turning Your Life Over To God and Trusting Him To Lead You Is Like . . . . .

. . . . . riding a roller coaster for... Read More

Such Love Transforms

Everything was arranged: once the funeral was over, all were... Read More

Inspiration From Jack Dempsey

I really like Jack Dempsey's great one liner: "A champion... Read More

The Ant Philosophy

Over the years I've been teaching kids about a simple... Read More

The Power of A.S.K.ing

Have you ever had the opportunity to follow-up on a... Read More

Eradicating The Heart of Poverty

Poverty can sometimes only be a state of mind, based... Read More

Lewis And Clark Pay Attention

As I write this Southern California has just ended its... Read More

Bad Blood

Direct Answers - Column for the week of August 26,... Read More

Seven Things You Must Give to Others if You Want to Achieve Success!

A major part of the process of achieving success and... Read More

Anam Chara - Healing the Heart Matters

Are you prepared to make your heart matter? Are you... Read More

You Reap What You Sow

There is an old principle: You reap what you sow.... Read More

Caring in My Sisters Way: A Lesson On Judgement

Last summer, I had an acute case of bronchitis. I... Read More

Energy Work Basics Part 2: What Lifts Your Spirit?

Remember, everything is made of energy. Each of us has... Read More

There Must Be More To Life Than This

If you suffer from a nagging feeling of "there must... Read More

Patience - The Antidote for Stress

Why is it so difficult to hold steadfast to a... Read More

Weapons of Mass Distraction

Anything that draws one away from the business of living... Read More

The Seasons Of Life, Part 5 of 5

This week is Part Five of our five part series... Read More

Living on Purpose: One Rock at a Time

I just got back from Colorado where I spent a... Read More

Need for a Belief System: A System of Organization for Your Experiences!

I've spoken with many people who, over time, have felt... Read More

Do You Feel Headed For Shipwreck?

The ocean liner Achille Lauro sailed perpetually under a dark... Read More

Following Through

Direct Answers - Column for the week of March 24,... Read More

Ever Wondered Why Everyone Else is Moving On, Except You?

"I attend courses, read books, listen to CD's, yet I... Read More