My husband and I attended an Explosions in the Sky concert this past weekend, and it turns out that there was an installation art exhibit downtown as well. We walked through the exhibit, and it was pretty obvious that it was the first show for some of these artists. They were so excited when we walked under their arbor, or took a second look at their sculpture, and it was pretty cool to be part of making their dream come true. They were just happy to see someone finally considering their concept!

Then we went into the concert hall, and for an hour and a half, we watched the band pour their souls into their music. They put their whole bodies into their instruments and the music, and their love for the sounds just radiated from the stage to the audience. That’s part of the appeal of a live concert: seeing and feeling the passion and energy from performers, and the audience giving back the appreciation. It’s a cycle, where the performers and the audience feed off each other, such that neither one runs out of fuel for the evening.

So I’m back at work on this Monday morning, thinking about passion. Do I just LOVE marketing? Am I excited about my projects, thrilled that someone wants to hear my ideas, look at my ad campaigns, or experience my trade show? Do I think about it on my lunch break, or driving down the road, allowing random ideas to pop into my head, in hopes of finding brilliance? I think sometimes I get in the mind set that only “creative” endeavors warrant passion, and that surely, business doesn’t require or inspire the same level of passion that art does. But that’s a lie. If you love what you do, and you love making an impact in your own way, you’ve got just as much passion as the performers on-stage. And, if you bring that passion into the workplace, you can be unstoppable. I know people who truly love their jobs, who are passionate about their industries, and who truly get excited about making an impact in the corporate world. I’d like to think I’ve got that same level of passion for my job, my craft, and my industry. How are you using your passion today?