It’s a lesson we all need to learn and heed: do what you do with passion, with energy, with positive purpose.
My latest encounter with this was at my latest haircut. Phyllis, the young lady who cuts and styles what’s left of my hair, always has a positive attitude and lives life. Her latest news was that the salon had selected her to be one of their leading stylists. Sure it was a promotion, but this wasn’t about money to her: she gets to study and work beside the icons in her industry. Phyllis is genuinely excited to be getting to take on this latest assignment. Bravo.
Passion. Energy. Positive. Ya gotta love it.
This reminded me of when my kids were 7 and 10 and we followed Major League Baseball. Collecting cards, attending and watching games, we had our favorite player, Ken Griffey, Junior, being that we were Seattle Mariner fans. Every once and a while we’d play the game of “who would play the game for free?” The first answer was always “Junior!” Backwards hat, bubble gum in the dugout, leaping catches in the outfield and that sweet swing. But the list dwindled after Junior. Quickly. Dave Henderson came next and then maybe Kirby Puckett.
You get the idea: to be a leader and memorable and to have a lasting impact, do what you do with passion.
Relentless
Herb Kelleher, the iconic leader whose smarts and enthusiasm built Southwest Airlines, had a saying about that vital linking of job and passion: “Your vocation should be your avocation.”