I’ve been thinking about Power & Passion a lot lately.
To me they are inextricably linked … with Passion being more powerful … if you get my drift.
You can have Power without Passion
Some people pursue position power for its own sake because they define success/status in terms of some external locus of control. On the other hand one of my favourite CEO’s [Kerry Anthony of Depaul Ireland] is extremely passionate about her work and that engages not only her workforce but also everyone that meets her. She’s a CEO because it helps her deliver services to some of Ireland’s most marginalised people and not because she just wanted to hold a position of power.
Power is defined in Many Many ways
I’m not going to write a learned document about the different types of power [I'll leave that to a range of interesting academics]. There are a number external forms of power – position, expert, charismatic & coercive are just a few. Then there’s what I believe is the most powerful of all the Powers – inner personal power … living your life authentically, purposefully and passionately.
Passion is always Powerful
I adore talking with passionate people … regardless of the topic [and yes ... I get that passion can fall over into obsession]. There’s an energy, enthusiasm & just in your face delight that exudes from them.
I remember chatting to a friends brother for hours once and after he left my friend came over and asked ”what could you possibly have found in common with my brother to talk with him for this long?”. ”Passion” say I. When we first started talking I asked him what he enjoyed doing in his life [yeh ... one of the light and fluffy topics!] and as he told me about car racing his face lit up … his body relaxed … and he chatted away.
Now I couldn’t care less about car racing … but I really enjoyed listening and watching this guy tell me stories about his passion and how it fitted into his life.
Passion can make you money … or not
People think that passions should translate somehow into money … some form of income … and that is totally possible. I know many many people [including me and Marc] who earn money by doing things they are passionate about.
I also know people [lots and lots of visual & performing artists] who don’t make a lot of money from their passion but they wouldn’t choose to do anything else.
It makes sense if you’re creating a business or a career that it be linked to some form of passion.
Life’s too bloody short to work at something you don’t enjoy.
It does take persistence and a range of internal and external resources … but it you want to earn some money from your passions … there will be a way. Just GOYA and look for the way.
Passion is defined by and defines your Purpose
I’m interested in how passion energises us to act and live our purpose.
Purpose comes from your need/want to live your life a certain way.
When you have clarity of purpose you find that it also engages your Passion … your enthusiasm … your expenditure of time, money and effort.
Passion manifests infinitely
Passions can be felt and lived in so many ways … in our heads, hearts, bodies and spirits.
I have a passion for thinking and learning and exploring ideas and writing … so my head is constantly and delightfully engaged.
I have a passion for engaging my own and other people’s personal power … so my heart and spirit feel wonderfully challenged.
I have a passion for the whole experience of the scent and colour and texture of food and cooking and eating … so all of me gets to be delighted and excited.
I adore beauty in design and the landscape … so my body and heart feel alive.
You define your Passions
No one can define what your passions are … they can try but ultimately it’s up to you.
It takes courage to define your purpose and passions … often in the face of both opposition and support from people that love you the most.
Competence is not always an indicator of Passion
People may say that you’d make a great xxxx [fill in the blank] because you’re so good at it.
Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean it’s your passion.
On the other hand if you’re passionate about something there’s a good chance that you’ll develop skills & experience [competence] in it.
I have always loved working with groups of people to help them create better places to work, live & play … it’s my Passion and I’ve become quite competent at it.
I also realised that after 25 years I was in a Rut of Competence. I still enjoyed the different work and always gave it my best … but the passion was waning.
I realised it was time to manifest the Passion & Competence in a different way … and Voila … Life Dreaming going global and online is my new focus.
Passion makes you Personally Powerful
There is no doubt in my mind that living and speaking and having the courage to be passionate makes you personally powerful.
You shine when you live your passion.
You are energised and enthusiastic when you live your passion.
You act as a role model and light of hope for other people when you live passionately.
You’re living authentically when you live your passion and purpose.
There’s no such thing as Too Much
This is the beginning sentence of a new post I’ll be writing real soon. Just for now I want you to ignore anyone that tells you you’re ‘Too Much’ because you are living with enthusiasm, energy and passion.
I refuse to participate in the Dulling Down of anyones life
I’ve been told I was Too Much for pretty much all my life … and frankly my dear … I don’t give a sweet feck anymore.
Life Dreaming Activity
1. What are you passionate about?
2. How do you feel when you live your passions?
3. What has stopped you from living your passions?
4. What has helped you live your passions?
5. Have your passions changed/transformed over your life?
What do you think about the link between Passion & Personal Power? I’d love to hear your thought so write me something below.
And if you enjoyed this post please Like it and Share it on your Facebook page.
Fantastic post, Liz. One thing about all of your posts – they make the reader stop, take note, and think. I copied/pasted the above questions into “Pages”. I will give some serious thought to my answers.
My own thoughts on the link between passion and personal power have to do with a strong sense of excitement about doing something in service to our world. Earning enough money to live is a necessity but it isn’t necessarily the reason one might pursue personal power. As a teacher I made enough money to survive but without my husband’s income I could not have afforded to buy a house by myself. However, I was passionate about teaching young minds. As the years went by and politics became more and more involved in education I felt my passion for teaching wane. Students were being forced to sit in their seats in a classroom all day long. The message from the state to the principals to the teachers was clear: your students will sit there day after day until they learn to read. It never occurred to the legislature that students might become passionate about reading if they were allowed field trips to wonderfully interesting places and then could read, research, and write, and draw that which they found amazing about the places they visited.
Here in AZ more and more funding from tax dollars goes to prisons while funds for education are being steadily eroded, class sizes became larger and larger as teacher positions are eliminated. In the little school where I taught we were told to teach science according to the state standards but the science lab was dismantled and that room was turned into a reading lab where students sat for an additional period each day being forced to read some of the most boring text anyone could possibly have to read and while they were doing this they were being timed with a stop watch and errors were being tallied on a sheet of paper. OMG!!!
I watched yearly as more and more students lost interest and became bored with school. As boredom progressed students got into more and more trouble and issues of discipline became a focus. When I found myself as bored and dispassionate as my students I knew it was time to retire and so I did. I am looking forward to going to Michigan where education is more hands on and where I will be able to volunteer with the School Garden programs and Farm to School programs which engage children in true experiential learning about something so important to their daily lives as good food. And while these kids are learning how to grow and prepare their own food they are learning to read, do the math, write daily journals, and get lots of exercise and clean fresh air in the process. They are also learning that learning/education can be fun and exciting.
Passion + Power = a strong commitment to make a change in my little corner of the world.
Thanks so much Lindy for taking the time to share your thoughts … and I’m delighted that this post and others I write make you think.
I can understand your [and students] frustration at being part of a stultifying learning environment. It’s the 21st Century and so many schools haven’t moved very far as creative learning environments.
If your enthusiasm, energy and attention aren’t captured then I can see why there are discipline issues with students … I was one of those kinds of students many many years ago and I vowed that if I ever had a chance to create and facilitate learning environments then they would be creative and respectful of people’s wish to learn.
Love the idea of the School Garden programmes. I’ve also been involved/evaluated many many arts in community programmes that truly engage people in a creative learning process that has astonishing results … and with people the ‘experts’ have deemed psychologically/socially ‘difficult’.
Love your equation and I do believe you have and will make a difference Lindy.
Wow Lindy, what an incredible story. AZ’s loss is most definitely Michigan’s gain!
Liz, should you and Sir Ken Robinson meet, angels will sing, little children will appear scattering rose petals in your path and you both might well ride off into the sunset on pink unicorns. Or, more succinctly, I loved this to bits! And it has reminded me that I have a few tweaks to do… there are a couple of things I do that my passion is waning on and it’s time to give them the flick.
Thanks for this… it’s a piece that really vibrates with power and truth.
ooh rose petals and unicorns … and Sir Ken … a woman can only dream!
I loved writing this post because it’s something I feel passionately about … and it helps me reconnect with what my passions are and aren’t.
Life Dreaming and how it might manifest in the world and be a small part in people connecting with their own power and passion … is my passion … particularly when a wonderful brother challenges me to extend my reach in developing the LD Expedition.
Being challenged and stretched by you as I pursue this particular passion can only lead to great results.
Thanks Marc for being such a Clear Speaker in my life.
I agree Liz, passion comes first and that’s a powerful force:)
thanks Annabel … passion with a nice dose of playfulness makes for an interesting life … oh … add a little persistence and patience and paradox … and my personal fave … prosecco.
Hi I am so excited I found your site http://www.lifedreaming.me/2011/03/are-you-passionately-powerful-or-powerfully-passionate, I really found you by accident, while I was looking on Bing for something else, Regardless I am here now and would just like to say thanks a lot for a marvelous post and an all round enjoyable blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to read through it all at the minute but I have bookmarked it and also added in your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read much more, Please do keep up the great job.
Thanks Kendal
I’ve been a tad busy with life to write a blog post and am glad you enjoy what’s already there. I’ll be writing more real soon and am delighted you’ll be following it all.
xxliz