Who wants to follow a leader who doesn’t care where they are going? It’s not going to light the fire of motivation, is it? Now picture the best leader you know. Are they good at what they do? Do they add value to society or a business? Do they look like they care about what they are doing – do they really WANT to do what they do?

Value. Most of us need a pay check. So what we do (our job) and the direction we are being led (or are leading others) needs to have some demand for it. This is simply the reality that most of us are in.

Gifts. There are things we are pretty good at. It might be water skiing or it might be carpentry, but I believe most people have natural gifts in certain things (whether people are fully aware of these gifts is another matter).

Passions. Some of us know what we truly love being involved in. Religion, a sports team or helping others grow, some things simply capture our hearts and minds and never let go. We want to do these things.

Do you get all three in the same place? If you do, you have found your “sweet spot”. My guess is the leader you thought of in the first chapter is in their sweet spot!

Ideological sidebar: I believe this should be a mandatory course for students and teachers. Imagine a curriculum based around helping students find their gifts and passions. With multiple teachers in my family, I know many would say they do this work today. However, I fear many people have ended up with ‘careers’, based on grades (gifts) and prospects (value). Passion is a distant runner up in the list of considerations.

So, Gifts plus Value without Passion = a feeling of emptiness, even boredom.

Could the leader you thought of above be as good as they are without passion?

THAT is why you need your Why. Without knowing your passions, you can’t deliberately align them with your work and know true fulfillment… and so you won’t reach your potential as a leader. Your Why is you reason to do something… the bigger picture. Find your Why and you will find your passion.

What is your Why. Leave a comment. And please share this so others may contemplate their Why consciously too.