Tuesday, August 4, 2015

The 10 Traits of People Who Love What They Do

Have you ever met a person who felt passionate about their career?  Who appeared to relish their work and the hours required to become successful?  Have you ever wondered what made them love what they do and how can you get to be like that?  Here is a list of the traits those people share:

  1. They always keep their personal goals in mind.

People who love what they do are internally challenged to succeed.  They’re the people who have laid out the five-year plan and refuse to let anything get in the way.  Although their career paths rarely resemble a straight path to success, they don’t get bothered by the twists and turns that can throw other people off guard.  That’s not to say that they don’t struggle with motivation from time-to-time, but they never fully lose sight of why they are doing what they do.  They fight their way back to that plan, which serves to recharge their batteries.

2.  They remember what energized them as kids.

Do you remember way back when what you used to tell people when you were asked what you wanted to be when you grew up?  People who love what they do still remember what sparked their passions long ago in childhood.  For some, it was building things with their Legos.  For others, it was taking care of “sick” stuffed animals.  Today, the work may not exactly resemble the play careers of the past, but the elements of those play careers that created excitement remain.  People who love what they do have found ways to integrate what they used to love into what they do today.

3.  They think Big Picture.

People who love what they do don’t get bogged down in the day-to-day, or even the week-to-week.  They understand that life has its ups and downs and they also understand that each state is temporary.  The people who love what they do are in it for the long haul and they understand that the long term return on their investment will make up for the short-term failures they experience along the way.

4.  They ignore the naysayers.

If you again think back to those childhood memories of your future career, what did the people around you say about them?  Did they encourage you or did they feel your career choice was cute, but unrealistic?  Was there a naysayer who dashed your dreams?  People who love what they do ignore the naysayers.  They don’t allow others to steer them away from what they’re passionate about.  

5.  They groom their replacements.

People who love what they do believe in abundance, not scarcity.  They believe there is always another opportunity to be had and so do not feel threatened by another person who shares their same passions.  They are happy to share the lessons they learned and help another person further their own career because they know their trajectory is always pointed up.  

6.  They’re committed to their dream - not their company.

While for many career paths, it’s important to have a good relationship with a company, for people who love what they do, they are not married to any particular company.  That’s not to say that they aren’t loyal, but their loyalty lasts as long as the company provides a means to reach their personal, internal goals.  People who love what they do are not opposed to moving on when the company they work for can no longer provide a place for them to do what they love doing.  Passion always comes before practicality.

7.  They don’t allow THEIR goals to be replaced by anyone else’s.

This goes hand in hand with those early year naysayers.  People who love what they do don’t allow present-day co-workers or managers knock them off their path.  And they don’t allow a company to replace their internal goal with the goals of the company.  You have to remember that the passion-driven worker seeks to continue to do what fuels their passion.  If what management has in mind for that person doesn’t fall in line with those goals, the passion-driven person may decide to move on.  People who love what they do may tow the line for a short period of time, but they will work to find a way through the roadblocks to continue on their own career path.

8.  Their passion is contagious!

Have you ever been around someone who was so passionate about their work that you couldn’t help being swept along with the excitement too?  People who love what they do share their passion with others and in turn can inspire others to follow their lead.  

9.  They’re mindful.

People who love what they do are aware of their goals for their future and their past wins and losses, but they spend the majority of their energy in the here and now.  They don’t wait for things to be perfect or the time to be right.  They seize whatever opportunity presents itself and they go with it then and there.    

10.  They don’t put limits on their visions.

People who love what they do can see unlimited potential in their long term goals.  They don’t fear competition, but at the same time know that there’s enough business to go around.  They know how to be productively competitive and avoid dealing in scheming or underhanded deals.  In other words, they don’t have to step on others in order to succeed.  


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