Career passion: Why it’s key for professional success
Tuesday, September 28, 2021

To what you love and you will never work a day in your life. This saying resonates with the idea of passion being a key ingredient with workplace success.

When you love and enjoy what you do, you are on the right path towards being successful at your job and move up the corporate ladder.

Of course other factors come into play such as hard work, the right skills and others, but with passion, a person is motivated and driven to give their best at work.

Doing the work you are passionate about is one of the most pleasing experiences as days seem livelier and stimulating.

Barbra Kantengwa, a teacher at APAPEC Irebero School states that passion enhances excellence. When you are passionate about your work, you always put your best pace onward and eventually achieve quality in it.

For her, passion creates energy. This is because you are excited to spend the day doing what you love most thus fewer possibilities of getting stressed. Even meeting deadlines is easier as your work is your first priority.

She carries on that when you’re zealous about what you do, you are even comfortable taking on extra hours to accomplish your tasks, and this doesn’t seem like a punishment to you.

Kantengwa states that passion helps you maintain persistent energy, and this surges your aptitude to contribute to your team. It escalates your craving to succeed hence the willingness to give total commitment to what you do.

"A passionate person is eager to learn new skills; this in turn can grow your personal value aggressively. Employers search for employees who are more skilled, and in the end reward you for your efforts, and knowledge,” she says.

Clementine Uwase, an employee in a cosmetics firm states that passion develops a better work environment, as employees are happier and less stressed.

She says that developing passion assists in having a progress mind-set, provides employees with independence, and creates time for them to learn more.

Uwase stresses that there is a possibility of recharging your passion for instance through mastering the basics of your job, and look for means to make your role thrilling again. Work on your weaknesses and improve your work ethic.

She also says meeting with other individuals who work in the same industry could help inspire you at work. 

Getting their feedback and perception about the company and the opportunities available can impel you to take part and push out of your shell.

At times stress and exhaustion can hinder a person’s feelings towards their job.

Uwase points out that when you start feeling burned out, it’s prudent to take leave, relax and take care of yourself, because if you don’t, chances are you will lose morale for work.

In order to ignite your passion for work, Forbes urges you to start to break some old habits. 

Get out from behind the desk. Find out what’s happening in other departments. Do some listening tours and discover what others are being challenged by. Start to challenge the status quo with others to uncover new ways of doing things.

"No matter what your job is, you make a difference. Focusing on where you have an impact can help you stay motivated and energised. Also, tune in to your inner dialogue about work. Become keenly aware of what you’re thinking and challenge your thinking. Run an experiment and change your questions. "How could this job help me later? What can I learn today? What could I try differently today?”