More and more, I’m realizing that I *need* for people to be passionate and energetic for me to connect with them. I have less and less interest in convincing people or motivating people that don’t already have the spark on board .
Sure, we all find our patches in life, and we can all have some down time (um…hello!). But if you’re not NORMALLY energetic and passionate, then it’s harder for me to connect with you.
Look at Seth Godin, at Tom Peters, at Steve Jobs, at pretty much anyone successful. Look at Heidi Miller, at Christopher Penn, at most of the people I communicate with frequently through this site. I connect with passionate people. Steve Garfield, same thing. He has a great line, “I subscribe to people.”
My edit: I subscribe to passionate people.
You know who I don’t subscribe to? Devil’s Advocates. I’ve given up. Nope. No thanks. You can have your advocacy. I’ve got other things in mind. It’s okay to help me correct my path, but not in that format. I’m no longer in the convincing business.
(That is, until I decide I have to give up my do-it-myself dream and seek funding… and then, maybe I’ll do some convincing).
Passion Rules!!!
Employees are sometimes passionate, but often have lots of boundaries in the way of being passionate. I’ve heard twice in as many days that most of the systems that raise us and shelter us (schools, businesses, etc) are built to condition us to a life of mediocrity. Well, swell!
I think I’m all done being mediocre.
The only real problem to be solved in this (for me, personally) is that I have to learn how to get the lens hot enough on a single topic to burn a hole through to let money come back in. I can’t monetize me. Not so far. I haven’t figured out the trick. So, the challenge is: how to be passionate while being an employee.
It’s something lots of new media types are facing all the time.
Wanna know what jazzed me up yesterday? I shot about five minutes of video, starting at waking up, that showed me brushing my teeth, combing my hair, getting dressed, checking email, driving to work, sitting down at the desk, etc. It was so fun learning how to tell a story with a camera. Because that’s not the same thing as just shooting a movie. Telling a story is even harder.
I was shown Josh Leo’s video blog at Podcast Academy 2 in Boston by Steve Garfield, and there was this bit where Josh (I forget his real name) is brushing his teeth and going to bed. It was SO well told, filming wise. It makes me appreciate what Justin must go through to get his shots covered.
Anyhow, passion. That’s the requirement. Be passionate. About who-gives-a-Fred-what! Just be passionate.
What’s YOUR passion?
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