February 2012: Is your heart in your work?

To some, this may seem like a trivial question.  But it is the essential question you must answer – truthfully – to determine if you’re realizing your highest potential for success.

When your heart is in something, you’re engaged at a level so deep that you can hardly understand it.  It’s what gives you the energy to get up every morning and give your best to the world.  It’s what helps you persevere through the tough times.  It’s what makes work feel less like….work.

The word passion is so common these days, people throw it around like a football at a Superbowl game.  It’s a hot topic partly because many Baby Boomers ignored their hearts and went down roads that were less fulfilling but what they thought was expected of them.  Now in the autumn of their careers, they’re wondering what could have been.  Indeed, one of the most consistent pieces of advice found in the books and speeches of seasoned leaders is to find and honor your passion.

February is the month of the Valentine – the month of the heart.  It’s a good time to ask yourself, “Is my heart really in this?”  If the answer is no, step back and think about why, and what it will take for you to re-stoke the fire.