If you’re not excited about where you’re going, why would I want to follow you there?
Certainly there are seasons when we just don’t feel all that “rah-rah” about what we’re doing. I’ve had mornings when I really wanted to stay home, consume mass quantities of coffee, and then fix more coffee for the afternoon. Dry spells come and go and it is the challenge of every leader to forge ahead.
On the other hand, if we feel no passion about what we’re doing — or why we’re doing it — then the lack of passion will leak out into other areas. We will tolerate mediocre when we should be shooting for excellent. We’ll be tempted to cut corners. Our attitude will inspire no one, except those who get inspired by a lack of inspiration.
An effective leader is one who has a sense of passion about what they’re doing. It wakes them up in the morning and keeps them awake at night. A common symptom that a leader has passion is when they lose track of the time. Time trackers rarely have passion. Clock watchers are more focused on getting off work than changing the world.
Passionate leaders identify with Jeremiah:
“But if I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot” (Jeremiah 20:9).
Ever felt like you had a fire shut up in your bones? Now that’s passion.