and is it still there in the evening?
I watched the last episode of the Bionic Vet last night which shows Noel Fitzpatrick as the epitome of someone who has passion for what they do. I don’t doubt he may need to look at his life balance (what with sleeping at the practice and many 18+ hr working days and 7 day weeks) but his passion for what he does and his patients has been a joy to watch. This passion has not only driven him to find ground breaking procedures for veterinary care but must also positively impact those with whom he works and certainly the pets and owners of the pets he treats. I’d also suggest, looking at the conference centre at the practice in Surrey, other practitioners too.
I’m sure you can name many others who demonstrate passion for what they do? The problem is so many people see these individuals as one of a kind and find reasons why they themselves could not have such a passion for what they do. Not reasons – excuses really and unfortunately many believe these until they find themselves up the creek. The thing is once you’re up the creek it’s not a great placed to be – stuck, unable to see a way out, often depressed in energy if not mind and unless we’re lucky often already in the water and struggling. It’s such a pity to wait till you’re up the creek.
Perhaps I’m just delusional but I don’t think anyone should get up in a morning and dread the day ahead. Whilst I appreciate night owls might not jump out of bed bright eyed and bushy tailed I certainly think everyone can and should find work they have passion for. Therefore my question to you personally is – do you have passion for what you do, and if not what would you do instead and what steps can you take to make that a reality?
The blog could easily stop there but I did say this month I’d feel the fear and say it anyway so ……the question I keep asking myself as a blogger on HRZone is what can HR professionals do to help ensure those who work for us have more passionate lives? I know personal responsibility comes into to it but aren’t we part of the problem too? We recruit, develop and want to retain people and I’m sure we don’t find it easy to let go either – after all how many relationships do you know where one party being left supports the other, wishes them well and lets them go easily? So my question is how can we be bigger than that, less selfish as an organisation and support those who work for us so that we can all benefit from lives being lived passionately. After all the benefits would be greater – you just have to look at what Noel has delivered to know that.
Knowing we can all have passionate lives.
Alison
Paddle Finder – helping you find your paddle when you’re up the creek without one
www.alisonsmith.eu 07770 538159
and for those up the career creek you may find the extract from my book useful – http://www.alisonsmith.eu/site/AS_Up_the_Creek_Book.pdf
