February, known as the month of love, holds this title for several reasons. Firstly, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th. This is a time for individuals to express affection and appreciation towards their partners, friends, and family. Secondly, in some places, February is a month where people seek warmth and connection during the cold winter. Lastly, in several cultures, February symbolizes the onset of spring—a season associated with renewal and growth. This change strengthens its connection with love and rejuvenation.

So, you might ask, “What does love have to do with entrepreneurship?” The answer is everything. Without love and passion for what you do, the chances of success diminish. That is why I decided to write on the topic of passion and entrepreneurship. Let’s delve deeper into why cultivating a genuine passion for your work is crucial for its success.

What is passion?

A few years ago, I was accepted into an entrepreneurial program. The participants each had reasons for pursuing entrepreneurship. Some craved more flexibility in their schedules.  Others saw entrepreneurship as a simpler alternative to traditional employment. Additionally, many believed that being their own boss would ultimately lead to higher earnings and greater freedom. There were and are numerous reasons for pursuing entrepreneurship. However, as the program progressed, all of us came to a very important realization. While all of these motives held merit, without genuine passion, the odds of our achieving success would be slim.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, passion is “a strong feeling of excitement or intense interest in a particular subject or activity.” In other words, it is what gives us joy, excitement, and enthusiasm. Although passion can sometimes have bad effects, it is generally seen as a good trait. The zeal we have helps us in both our personal and professional lives.

Passion: the Key to a Thriving Business

As opposed to what social media often suggests, becoming a successful business owner is not easy. Without loving or being passionate about what you do, you will probably not stick with it. It’s important for entrepreneurs to know their purpose, be motivated, and feel fulfilled. Each of these traits, to name a few, is sparked and kept burning by passion.

Passion Ignites Purpose

To love and be excited about something is great. You can love cooking, football, or singing. Each of these can bring joy. You can even be passionate about more than one thing. However, taking your passion and giving it purpose is on a whole other level.

Passion is the solid foundation of a business. Making the business happen will require you to turn your passion (what makes you happy and what you care about deeply) and the skills you have gained into a purpose.

According to Vesko Kolev, while “the focus of passion is toward oneself and what you enjoy doing, the focus of purpose is bigger than you. It is about how you serve others and contribute to them in a meaningful way—meaningful to them and you in some aspect.”

Before launching a business, thought and care need to be given. Passion needs to be directed into a realistic business idea  Therefore, writing a business plan is usually suggested. Write down the company’s vision, mission, and values at the start of the business plan.

In my case, I was passionate about decorating and staging. I needed to turn that passion into a purpose. This required me to specifically articulate the following: where I wanted my online staging business to go (vision), how I was going to get there (mission), and the principles that would direct both (values).

Without passion, it is pretty difficult to find a meaningful purpose as an entrepreneur. Cameron Herold puts it this way: “The road to success is crowded. It’d be impossible for everyone there to succeed; that’s why only the passionate ones do.”

Passion Fuels Motivation

Once upon a time, I worked as a teacher. I learned early on that kids who are intrinsically motivated (driven from within) are more likely to keep trying to do well than kids who are extrinsically motivated (driven by rewards from outside sources).

This is also true for an entrepreneur who is driven by passion. Their determination to succeed is not based on outside factors or rewards. What drives them to keep going after their goals is their inner drive and love for what they do.

According to LinkedIn, starting “a business is one thing, while growing and sustaining it is another uphill task. Reports from Central Banks and Research Institutions show that more than 75% of start-ups close shop within 5 years of operation.” According to this article, one of the reasons is that they do not look at the long game, are ill prepared, and become discouraged at the slightest obstacle. “If you lack passion, even the smallest of obstacles will kill your motivation and confidence to carry on with the entrepreneurship journey. Passion gives you the courage and determination to fight any obstacle that may come your way.” Passion will keep you motivated, even in the midst of difficulty.

Passion Produces Fulfillment

Happiness is not the same thing as fulfillment. Instead, it’s what happens when you pursue and reach your goal(s), which in this case is the business’s vision, mission, and values.

Being an entrepreneur means you can’t always be happy. Various kinds of setbacks, problems, and challenges will come your way. Kolev writes, “If you expect to be happy all the time as an entrepreneur, you will be very, very disappointed. Entrepreneurs are not and should not try to be happy all the time; at the end of the day, the act of creation and innovation is hard work.”

Rather than focusing on happiness, the focus ought to be fulfillment. This comes incrementally. As an entrepreneur, you will likely feel fulfilled and count that as success when the following occurs:

1. Alignment with Passion and Values: Fulfillment stems from aligning entrepreneurial pursuits with personal passions and core values, fostering a deep sense of purpose and satisfaction.
2. Making a Positive Impact: Entrepreneurs find fulfillment in making a meaningful impact, whether through solving problems, creating value, or contributing to social causes. Knowing that their work matters brings profound satisfaction.
3. Building Meaningful Relationships: Fulfillment as an entrepreneur often involves nurturing meaningful relationships with customers, team members, collaborators, and mentors. The sense of connection and camaraderie that comes from working with like-minded individuals adds richness and depth to the entrepreneurial journey.
4. Personal Growth and Development: Fulfillment for entrepreneurs involves continuous learning, growth, and self-improvement. It entails stepping out of comfort zones, taking on new challenges, and acquiring new skills and knowledge to realize their full potential.

You may have heard it said, ““Love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” While I understand the sentiment, following your passion does not mean less work. However, it does mean that when you take your passion and give it purpose, you will likely be fulfilled. This February, why not celebrate your passion and the purpose of your entrepreneurial journey?

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