What does it mean to be passionate? Passion has obvious connotations in the world of romance but also can be in reference to one’s general feeling about something. Passion is more than just heightened interest. It is a true love for something that you do or something that you follow or have interest in. Examples would include:
- Passion for a favorite sports team
- Passion for the work of a favorite musician, actor, or entertainer
- Passion for a hobby or other personal interest
- Passion for work or for a business
As you might expect, I will be spending the most time discussing the last of these bullet items, since this is after all about the business of real estate investing. I mention those other things though because the same kinds of emotions often apply when it comes to being passionate about something. Having passion for a business pursuit may be something entirely new for you, especially if you’ve been in work environments that you didn’t really enjoy. That said, passion is not just something that you either have or don’t have. It can be developed, it should be developed, and, by doing so, you will only create more income and success as an investor.
First off, how can you tell that you are passionate about something? I think this question can be answered in several ways and the following list offers a few ‘tell-tale’ signs that passion is what you are experiencing:
- Seeing or discussing something that immediately makes you happier
- That something taps into your emotional side
- Discussion of something that gets you excited and energizes you
- Your heart rate goes up a little bit
- You look forward to (and even plan for) when you get to do or see something
- You love the idea of sharing that something with other people
Let’s first look at these ‘tell-tale’ signs in the context of something you may be more familiar with and then I’ll apply the same things to your business and you’ll immediately see the parallel.
First, let’s use the example of a sports team. Are you happy when you have the opportunity to see your favorite team play? Do you get emotional during games in which your team plays? Do you love talking about your team to other people, whether they are fans of the team or not? Does watching your team get your blood going a little bit? Do you make plans to see your team play, even if it’s just on TV? Do you want to share with the world and with anyone who’ll watch or listen that you are a fan? If you can answer yes to some or all of these questions, then it’s safe to say that you are passionate about your favorite sports team.
Note that there is a significant difference between interest and passion. Interest is a more passive and non-emotional attachment to something, while passion is much deeper. Using the example from the previous paragraph, a lot of people are interested in sports teams but, comparatively, few are passionate about them. Business works in much the same way.
A lot of people are interested in business. Poll 100 people and ask them if they would like to own a small business (i.e. be their own boss). A majority would probably like the idea and would say they are interested in it. Ask the same 100 people if they are passionate enough about it to change their professional lives to do it, and you’ll likely see that interest drop off considerably. Passion is an extra gear that goes beyond simple interest and there’s just more to it. So where does it come from?
Think about it this way. If you are passionate about a sports team, how did you get to be that way? You weren’t born with it. You weren’t taught or influenced to be that way. It probably came from seeing other passionate fans and experiencing something valuable in how they approached following that team. In part, you wanted to tap into that energy by being like them and that’s how it starts. Business passion is much the same way. You are much more likely to develop a passion for what you do by seeing other investors with passion describe what they do and how they feel about their profession. In short, such energy can be infectious and can help instill that business passion in you.
Beyond where you get your inspiration, passion must be nurtured and developed, just like the business itself. Why are you passionate? What is your mission? What is it you most love about the business? What sides of us does the business bring out that you most love to see? These are the elements of business passion that you must understand and embrace for passion to be something that you truly have for real estate investing or any other business. When you can demonstrate passion, others will see it and also become motivated as a result. Much like a passionate sports fan or movie buff, others who witness true passion may not fully understand it but will admire the conviction and emotion that is behind it.
Passion can be reflected by exuberant discussion and giving off that intangible ‘vibe’ that you really care about what you are doing. That is the truest form of passion for your business. When your passion is based upon the love of the process this will greatly attribute to your ongoing success. For example, when you love interacting with clients, seeing their faces when you are able to present a solution to them, watching a distressed property become something better, and love seeing everyone win in the end, that is true passion for what it means to be an ultimate real estate investor. When you love these things and it shows, you demonstrate a true passion and people will respond to that.
On the flip side of true passion, is passion that is misguided. Make no mistake about it, passion for a business and what you are doing is different than passion for making money. I’ve heard many an investor who stated that money was their passion and that was why they loved this business. That is, in my opinion, a recipe for failure in the long run. If you truly love what you do and the foundational elements of your business, the money part will take care of itself. Falling in love with the outcome takes your focus away from the important things you need to be doing to get there and, at some point, can and will be apparent to those around you. In short, true passion for your business is seen as exactly what it is and will generally be admired by those who witness it. Passion for the outcome (in this case, making money) is often seen as something more sinister, something called greed. Be careful about what your passion is based upon because others will see it and may judge you accordingly.
On the flip side, passion, for all its benefits, can backfire if it disrupts the balance of what may be an otherwise healthy lifestyle. Sports passion can be great in some regards but ask the wives or significant others of avid sports fans and see what their take is on that same passion. Ask the same person what they think of their spouse or partner burning the midnight oil on work related stuff and never having time for the family. Ask that same person how much they enjoy their partner talking about nothing but business, no matter how excited they are about it. I think you see where I’m going with this. No business is worth alienating those close to you or putting your marriage at risk. Sure, there will be busy times with your business. Just make an effort to keep it real and your friends and families will appreciate you even more for that than for your passion.
I’m a very lucky man. I have a beautiful wife, Danielle who loves me and respects me and is there for me through thick and thin. At the time of this writing we don’t have any children yet as a result of an unfortunate streak of miscarriages, however we are faithful we will be blessed with children when it is meant to be. Her and I met in 7th grade. She was my first kiss and I was hers. We were so young but crazy in love, I can remember it like it was yesterday. We used to write to each other and pass notes in the hallway, and even one of my teachers referred to us as Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately, at the end of that school year I had to move away to NJ with my family. Danielle and I continued writing and stayed in touch. We’d talk every month or so. Whenever I’d come back to KY to visit my family I’d look her up and we’d get together. We dated other people growing up, but always had that special connection. Approximately 12 years later I ended up moving back to KY and we fell in love again and two years after that I asked her to marry me.
Yes, it’s a cute story and yes, I still have all the love notes she wrote me in 7th grade. I tell you this story because it is extremely important that you don’t let your passion for real estate investing and money hungry success interfere with the love in your relationships. Danielle knows that work to me is not “work.” And sometimes she has to tell me to turn off my brain for a while, and I’ll be honest, it is hard to do because the wheels are always turning. But I respect her and I listen to her and she helps keep me in check. So, when you are working on your business, work as hard as you can, but just know that it is just as important to turn it off for a while each day so you don’t let your passion interfere with your relationships.
Know that passion can and will serve you well in many areas of your life, especially in your pursuits of real estate fortunes. The passion is, in part, what helps establish your credibility and makes people excited about working with you. That said, you need to have a life too. There’s nothing wrong with working hard and loving what you do. It’s sometimes hard, though, to flip off that switch and get out of “business mode” when it is appropriate to do so. For each of you, finding that balance between business and your personal life will be a little bit different and there’s no magic formula for how to do it. I just encourage you to strive for balance and, by doing so, you can indeed have your million dollar cake and eat it too.
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