Are you passionate about your job? According to a 2005 Harris Interactive Survey, about 45% of Americans say they are happy with their jobs, but only 20% feel passionate about what they do.
So what's the difference? Happy workers are those who are content with their job circumstances, salary, benefits, etc. They can go on for years in jobs that meet their economic needs. But passionate workers find fulfillment in their work; they find personal enrichment in what they do, and they pass that enrichment on to others. Passionate people recognize their own strengths, use their talents, and constantly improve their skills. Job passion comes from a self-fueling inner fire that keeps an individual engaged, motivated, and satisfied.
Job satisfaction is somewhat easier to achieve than job passion. For one thing, some of the extrinsic components of job satisfaction are easily measured. Things like compensation, work hours, and flexibility are common satisfiers. Additionally, employers and coworkers often help to create a satisfying work environment.
On the other hand, no external force can create job passion. Passion derives from self-awareness and a personal connection to the work at hand. Here are some suggestions for finding your own job passion:
• Find a new challenge. Learn more about your place of employment, your work, or the work of others around you. Set your sights on a goal or learn a new skill. Stretch yourself in some way. Don't wait for opportunity to knock; go out and find it.
• Be a mentor. Recognize your greatest skill and use it to help a coworker. Be a teacher and a leader. Become an example of excellence for those around you.
• Recognize talent. Seek out those who can teach you, and be willing to learn. Appreciate excellence around you, and find ways to recognize it.
• Stay focused. Don't be distracted by things that prevent you from reaching your goals. Revise your goals when necessary.
• Be positive. Try to focus on the benefits instead of the drawbacks in any situation. Give coworkers the benefit of the doubt. Be grateful for opportunities.
A healthy job passion can bring many benefits — stress relief, professional rewards, and a more positive outlook, to name a few. Job passion is also good for your employer. A workplace becomes the best it can be through its most valuable resource: its staff.
So what's the difference? Happy workers are those who are content with their job circumstances, salary, benefits, etc. They can go on for years in jobs that meet their economic needs. But passionate workers find fulfillment in their work; they find personal enrichment in what they do, and they pass that enrichment on to others. Passionate people recognize their own strengths, use their talents, and constantly improve their skills. Job passion comes from a self-fueling inner fire that keeps an individual engaged, motivated, and satisfied.
Job satisfaction is somewhat easier to achieve than job passion. For one thing, some of the extrinsic components of job satisfaction are easily measured. Things like compensation, work hours, and flexibility are common satisfiers. Additionally, employers and coworkers often help to create a satisfying work environment.
On the other hand, no external force can create job passion. Passion derives from self-awareness and a personal connection to the work at hand. Here are some suggestions for finding your own job passion:
• Find a new challenge. Learn more about your place of employment, your work, or the work of others around you. Set your sights on a goal or learn a new skill. Stretch yourself in some way. Don't wait for opportunity to knock; go out and find it.
• Be a mentor. Recognize your greatest skill and use it to help a coworker. Be a teacher and a leader. Become an example of excellence for those around you.
• Recognize talent. Seek out those who can teach you, and be willing to learn. Appreciate excellence around you, and find ways to recognize it.
• Stay focused. Don't be distracted by things that prevent you from reaching your goals. Revise your goals when necessary.
• Be positive. Try to focus on the benefits instead of the drawbacks in any situation. Give coworkers the benefit of the doubt. Be grateful for opportunities.
A healthy job passion can bring many benefits — stress relief, professional rewards, and a more positive outlook, to name a few. Job passion is also good for your employer. A workplace becomes the best it can be through its most valuable resource: its staff.
Fred J. DiCostanzo, RN, MA, is executive vice president of human resources for Gannett Healthcare Group. To comment, e-mail editorPA@nursingspectrum.com.
