Passion

Right now I am in a coaching role. That is, while I don't directly get to do what I usually do, I get to work with people and help them get to a place where they can do what I do.

I have been feeling extremely stressed out these past few months because of this project. Which is surprising - because a coaching gig (as opposed to delivery) is considered to be far less demanding, in my industry. I have been mulling over something that one of my colleagues said to me, last week - he suggested that one needs to be much less passionate while coaching. Transformation, especially at an enterprise level is something that takes a very long time and needs buy in from all levels through the heights and depths of the hierarchical structure. To be more effective and get the job done, you cannot take the smaller successes or the lack of it, personally. You have to leave your passion - of getting stuff done and moving on to the next big thing, of accomplishing something tangible, behind.

It is a strangely tiring and numbing idea. I have not known how to wake up every morning and come to work, with lesser passion than what I feel for my job. But after trying (very hard) to see from his perspective, I realize now that it does make sense. I can feel my blood pressure levels not shooting through the roof every so often during the day. But, I am not sure how long I can sustain this.

How easy is it to consciously choose to be less passionate about something that you really are passionate about?

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9/24/12