Passion & skill

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Passion is the easiest. It is the enthusiasm or excitement we have for something or the act of doing something. It is our primary instinct that we love a particular activity, and although it can be fueled by others, it has to arise out of our own inner desires.

Skill is something you earn. Skill is the physical execution or performance of a task. Skill can come more naturally to some than others, but is only developed and refined through repetition (practice).

Passion does not equate to skill or talent. The simple fact that we are passionate about something does not mean we can succeed at it.

Skill is required regardless of passion. It does not matter how much we love something, there are no shortcuts. It is always required to put in our time and earn the skills for whatever endeavor we are pursuing.

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Purpose and passion

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We’re told the answer to a fulfilled life is to simply follow our passions and discover our true purpose. If only it was that easy. The most common challenge is usually identifying our purpose, and/or how we can make money following our passion.

The first step is understanding the difference between Purpose and Passion.

The purpose is our life journey. It’s the big picture of how you live your life, and it deserves its own article…or two, or three.

Passion/s tends to change and evolve and may be long or short-lived. Passion also encompasses skill and talent.

3 Characteristics of grit?

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Passion

Where there is passion, there is always a purpose. Passionate people know themselves inside and out. They have a clear understanding of their values, beliefs, and needs. More importantly, they live in alignment with their truth and inspire others to do the same. Living with passion is about paying attention to and following what makes you come alive inside.

Perseverance

Persevering, despite all odds, is about learning how to sit with your darkness and soften into the discomfort. The only difference between those who succeed versus those who fail is their willingness to continue failing forward. It’s knowing that your desire to achieve your dreams burns brighter than any obstacle.

Resilience

Gritty people are resilient, in the sense that they thrive through adversity. They reframe every challenge as an opportunity and do the work to become the master of their emotions. Research reveals that resilience is a test of how tough you are. Instead, it has everything to do with your willingness to keep trying after others have given up. Resilient people are conscious enough to know when it is time to surrender to the rollercoaster ride of life.

Passion + Perseverence = Achievement

Have you ever met someone who thrives through adversity, and who transforms their pain into opportunities for growth? In her book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Angela Duckworth describes these types of people as possessing grit. From her research, she has found that grit is what separates those who are successful from those who fail.

So, what is grit, you may ask?

In the words of Angela Duckworth herself,

“Grit is sticking with your future, day in and day out, and not just for the week, not just for the month, but years.”

If you want to achieve your goals, you have to be willing to do anything and everything. I believe that the most meaningful goals require an insane amount of hard work, determination, discipline, commitment, and sacrifice. But get real with yourself — are you ready to go all-in? How bad do you want to succeed?

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Success is achieved when our passion, skill, and talent align

We need to understand that sometimes we have talents in areas where we do not have passion. And, simply because we have the talent does not mean that we should pursue something. Furthermore, talents often go undiscovered as we have not explored those particular areas.

Talent is found through exploration. How do you know if you are good at something if you don’t try? It can also be observed and identified by trusted friends and mentors. We often overlook, or discount, areas that come naturally to us.

The key is to keep trying. Explore different things until you find that you have both the passion and a potential talent. Then work hard to develop your skill. It can also be important to expand your vision.

Ultimately, it is when the three areas of passion, skill, and talent come together that success happens.