How Can I Use the EMP to Ignite Passion?
Feeling passionate about one’s work is a goal that many people share. When you’re lucky enough to connect what you do professionally to an overall sense of purpose, then you’ve really hit the jackpot.
One measure of Passion may be found in the Entrepreneurial Mindset Profile (EMP®), an assessment tool which provides feedback on 14 scales. Seven scales assess personality characteristics that distinguish entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs, and the other seven assess cognitive and behavioral skills critical to entrepreneurial success.
The Passion scale on the EMP not only gives clear and direct feedback about how energized or drained you are by your work, but it may also speak to your resiliency and, on the flip side, to the possibility of burnout. People who score high find work highly engaging and don’t mind working long hours on an interesting project. They are likely to feel both challenged and fulfilled by their work and are usually very productive. Lower scorers, on the other hand, may not be as engaged and might find it difficult to sustain excitement or be positive about what they’re doing.
The real power of the scale, though, is in interpreting it within your individual context. How do your scores play out in comparison to your goals? What has happened recently that might have impacted your scores? What are the demands of your current role? Are you being asked to do a lot of things that you might be good at but that you don’t particularly enjoy? Maybe you’re a very passionate person, but right now you’re in a position or working on a business that you’re not excited about at all. All of these factors influence how high or low your score might be and can help “flesh out” what the feedback means for you at this one moment in time.
Since Passion is positively correlated with a sense of well-being, we all could benefit from igniting it. Here are just a few ways of re-kindling your passion and achieving greater levels of success:
Think about what makes you feel most alive—what you’re doing when you’re really “in the flow.”
It’s when you’re at your best. It’s when you’re working on something so engaging and interesting that you lose track of time. Whether it’s solving a tricky problem, connecting with someone on a deep level, envisioning an exciting new possibility, or working side-by-side with a highly energized team, identify those times and think about ways you can incorporate more of those activities into your work.
Passion is contagious, so be intentional about generating passion in those who work for you.
Do you give them challenging assignments that increase their skills? Do you know them on a personal basis? Are you available to help them when needed? Do you celebrate their successes? Do you welcome their input about the projects which are most important to you?
Think back in time to identify what made you tick when you were younger.
What did you love to do when you were a kid? Maybe you still can’t go skateboarding every day, but what is the “updated” version of that fun activity that you can do now? For example, if you loved art as a child, take time to visit art galleries or take a painting class.
Look ahead and ask yourself: “What do I want to have accomplished when I’m at the end of my career?”
Write down what you want to achieve, and devise practical action steps to get there. It might mean you look for temporary assignments or contract work that help you get experience or build new skills. It might mean that you find another position or launch a business. Maybe you do volunteer work for an organization whose mission is aligned with your values. Either way, you can narrow your focus and figure out what’s most important to you so that your flame of passion is more than just a flicker.
