According to Merriam-Webster, passion can be described as enthusiasm applied to eager interest in or adminration for a proposal, cause or activity. It’s also similar to zeal, which is an energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause.

For me, passion is the X-factor that lets people stand out and excel — When you place 100% of yourself into a project or person, that’s passion.

Which is why books would describe some lovemaking as passionate. I’ve often wondered what that meant, but if I could imagine, it’s that let-go moment where you just stop thinking and you follow whatever your body/lust takes you.

See Angelina Jolie in her love scenes?

That’s passionate. Yeow!

However, I look for passion in people. Actually, it’s that passion that draws me to someone. Regardless on the industry, people with passion just stick out like a sore thumb. Must be because there’s so few of them.

A lot of people work because of the salary. How many people do you know work because they need the bread? However, compensation will never be enough for signing away over 8 hours of your daily life (more for overtime) and time spent away from things you’d like to do.

If for example you like to paint, but it’s unprofitable… and so, you find a job that earns you a decent amount of cash, no matter what, you’d still find yourself unsatisfied.

Why?

Because time spent on work you hate is less time spent on painting.

And every moment away from the real thing you’re passionate about is like torture, because you’re forcing yourself to do something you’d rather not do given the choice!

Which is why I cannot emphasize enough the need to find a job you actually like doing.

A lot of people think I do a good job at work. But how can I not? It fits in my more outgoing personality and the need to work with people better than me. Unlike others, though there are bad times as well, in general, I like my job, my boss and the people I work with.

Sure, that’s 8 hours down the drain, but at least, am doing work that’s worthwhile. Hence, I don’t really mind working longer hours and doing extra work because I feel that it’s part of my job description!

Whereas people would grumble over the long hours and so-so salary, I embrace it because being in the service industry, I feel that it’s just right that am 24-hours on call.

Competency is important but at times, passion to learn is the most important factor of all when choosing your employee. If a person has the drive to learn, everything will follow.

I remember when I was seeking an assistant to help me with a large project. I interviewed over 30 candidates and my headhunter had no clue what exactly I was looking for.

Finally, one girl who has NEVER had an interview in her entire life came… I was her first interviewer and it was funny, because she even brought her friend to offer her support.

However, I knew I was going to hire her within the next 10 minutes, and I did. And I was right — she outperformed the competition because she had that star quality — that X-factor. Call it passion if you may.

Sometimes, we take passion for granted, until we are with people who are so complacent with the dullness of their own lives. Then, we realize how bright these superstars really are.

It’s hard to explain, but I am looking for passion in my life. I think it makes all the difference. Are you ensuring that you surround yourself with passion in yours?

Something to think about.