No startup magically appears out of nowhere – each stems from an idea, a dream, a passion. But an entrepreneur's passion alone is not enough to build a successful business. That passion must fuel a deep, all-consuming fire that keeps him constantly striving for success.
I know how important a productive passion is from my own experience. People have told me that I make my career as an entrepreneur and executive easy, but what they don't see is the effort I put in day in and day out.
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My passion didn't just create a great idea and make my business grow overnight; it was passion that allowed me to get the job done.
Keep the passion productive
Sometimes having the willpower to continue after your dream, no matter what obstacle is thrown at you, can make everything the difference. Commitment is hard to find:in the United States, companies pay $1 billion each year to achieve this and another $100 billion to develop employee skills.
Despite this price, only 13% of the American workforce attests to having the right kind of passion – the kind that drives you to seek out challenges and develop the skills to overcome them.
That kind of “do what you love” attitude making The difference between a successful startup and a failure may sound like old news, but being emotionally invested in your workplace not only helps your business grow, but can even improve your health, too. A study in Denmark found that out of 5,000 Danish workers, those who were most attached to their employers slept better and fell ill less often.
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If these are the benefits for employees, imagine the difference productive passion makes for entrepreneurs. An emotional connection is necessary for success. In fact, studies show that objects to which people have emotional attachments seem larger and easier to spot. It's no wonder a major life goal like startup success keeps us busy.
Combining your passion with visualization techniques to help you prioritize your goals every day can keep you honest about to the steps to follow to achieve your dreams. Here are three more ways productive passion can act as your own secret weapon:
1. Let it drive your confidence.
You are never passionate about something that you think will fail. Let that determination burn full blast and build your confidence in your ability to succeed. If you believe your dream is achievable, you will act on it. Use your passion to keep your daily and monthly goals within reach for you and your business. The confidence you place in your future will trickle down to everyone who helps you make your startup successful.
Steve Jobs was another big proponent of letting passion fuel your belief in yourself. In a commencement address he gave to Stanford graduates in 2005, he said, “You have to find what you love. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. Keep that love of your work with you and hope you put in the hours to make it happen.
2. Let yourself be motivated.
It is clear that the goals we are emotionally attached to seem more important to us. So tap into that feeling and let your passion drive you. The emotional attachment to an idea will motivate you to respond to those emails, reach out to the connections you've made at a networking event, or stay up all night to fix that nagging technical issue.
If your startup is really important to you, getting up early and propelling yourself all day to meet investors is no problem. Perfecting your product design for the thousandth time is just one necessary step in the process. When it feels overwhelming, let your passion for what you do remind you of why you started this journey in the first place, then push you to keep going.
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3. Let it give you a boost of energy.
It's easy for people who have never started their own business to misjudge what kind of stamina it needs. But use your productive passion to fuel you through the long hours and emotionally taxing setbacks. My grandfather always told me that everything will take twice as long and cost twice as much as you think. This is never truer than in business.
Use your emotional connection to your startup to maintain your enthusiasm and energy, even when times are tough. Visualization techniques can help, as can reminding yourself to take short breaks for coffee with a supportive friend, run to your favorite motivational song, or meditate when you feel really overwhelmed.
Starting your own business is hard, there's no getting around it. But if you are passionate about your dream, there is nothing you can do. Let your passion fuel your productivity and perseverance, and it will become the best secret weapon in your arsenal.
Related: 7 ways to turn your dreams into reality
