As I was working on one of my books (Starting Your Creative Business), I wrote about three prerequisites you need to have before you even start.

As I wrote about them, I realized that those three things (Passion, Persistence, and a Plan) are also things you need throughout your whole business life (and can make the case for throughout your whole life – business or otherwise.) You may have heard of these before, but, if you are like me (and most of us), an occasional reminder is in order. And so, let me just touch on them briefly here. Today I will talk about Passion and post the other two over the next couple of days.

Passion

Passion is the driver that keeps us going. I find it interesting that one of the hallmarks of depression is a lack of passion (in just about every area). We are built to be passionate about something (and sometimes more than one something.)

In terms of owning and running your own business, you need a passion for the point of your business (not a passion for business, but for why you are in business.) You need that passion

• to stay connected with the business
• to provide the “oomph” to keep going on the days when obstacles arise
• to enjoy the business
• and to point towards your mission in life.

Passion is the underlying driver behind a sense of misson – first personal mission and, later, business mission. (If you haven’t found that passion or your Mission in life or for your business, I encourage you to check out the Mission Discovery webpage at my site… you can find your mission AND live it.)

(By the way, if your business mission isn’t a subset of your personal mission, I can predict a lack of success for you. A business should have a mission (and a clear mission statement). If your business doesn’t have a mission, then it is like a ship without a rudder – drifting wherever the tides of the economy sweep it — usually to the rocks of ruin. If the business mission isn’t clear and a subset of your personal mission, then it is like a ship whose captain has ADD – always running after the latest rumor of treasure… and never arriving at a destination.)

There are some people who can’t point to a particular passion. Sometimes it’s because they have multiple passions and sometimes it is because their passion has been beaten into submission. The former have to simply choose one for their business. The latter need to find help and therapy to rediscover their passion.

When things get tough in your business, your passion can see you through. Are you passionate about your business… or at least, the point of your business?

How has passion played a part in your business? Use the comments box and share that passion with us.

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