The Real Meaning of Passion

Faithful on the Clock is a podcast with the mission of getting your work and faith aligned. We want you to understand Who you're serving and why so you can get more joy and legacy from every minute spent on the clock. Thanks for joining us and taking this step toward a more fulfilling job and relationship with God!

Want to join us on social media?

We'd love to have you stay up-to-date with the show on all our platforms!

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Instagram

LinkedIn

YouTube

In this episode...

The Real Meaning of Passion

https://faithfulontheclock.com/the-real-meaning-of-passion

What does it mean to be passionate about what you do? Episode 99 of Faithful on the Clock challenges the traditional definition of passion to encourage you toward more meaningful work.

Timestamps:

[00:04] - Intro

[00:38] - I’m NOT arguing against the advice to find work you’re passionate about.

[01:02] - The traditional definitions of passion and the link to positivity

[02:04] - The old-school definition for passion and the link to suffering

[02:44] - You can still look for work you are excited about, but the real question is what you would struggle or even give your life for.

[03:24] - Many jobs, such as astronaut, require passion because they carry significant risk. The people who do those jobs have an internal drive that tells them to keep going even through tough times.

[04:12] - Any job will have bad times. It’s the people who are passionate that will persist and get uncomfortable in noticeable ways.

[05:05] - God gives everyone gifts, and your gifts and your passion should connect.

[06:12] - Passion doesn’t necessarily mean you should go out and make yourself a martyr. But it does connect to high tolerance. It is also different than fear in that passion is about fighting the good fight — fear is just about self-preservation.

[07:19] — If you are not willing to suffer for something, you probably are not passionate about it. Passion is also not a guarantee of money.

[08:13] - Passion is bigger than dollars and cents. Focus on whether your passion allows you to serve God and spread His joy. Be thankful and authentic.

Key takeaways:

• People often talk about passion in terms of excitement, energy, or long-term interest. But passion also can mean suffering — that is, it’s not always enjoyable!
• Because passion can mean suffering, the question around work isn’t just what will make you happy. It’s also what you’d be willing to struggle to finish or give your life for. 
• Passion is what gives you the ability to persist even when things get tough. It ensures you don’t quit and that you can go the extra mile in ways that get you noticed.
• Your gifts and passion should connect. Genuine passion feels natural but goes along with sacrifice.
• Passion doesn’t necessarily mean making yourself a martyr — you still should take care of yourself even as you work hard because of the vision you have. It merely means you have a level of tolerance that lets you push further than others might. Passion is different than fear in that passion fights the good fight; fear is about self-preservation.
• If you are not willing to suffer a little for what you do, you’re probably not truly passionate about it. Passion and money also don’t necessarily connect — you can be passionate about an area that doesn’t pay well, despite the fact that gurus might tell you that passion opens the door to big money.
• When thinking about passion, keep Matthew 6:19-24 and Hebrews 13:5 in mind as encouragement. Just be your authentic self as God made you to be regardless of what others think of your passion.

CTAs:

• Journal about your current job. What do you see as the limits of what you would tolerate in your current position?
• Imagine you were not in your current position. What jobs would you be willing to struggle through, even if they don’t pay well? Clarify for yourself what’s holding you back from pursuing those types of positions.

What’s coming up next:

Faithful on the Clock turns 100! Join host Wanda Thibodeaux for a celebration episode full of reflection, lessons learned, gratitude, and future plans.

Support the show!

Visit the Faithful on the Clock Patreon page to choose a tier plan and become a supporting member. You'll gain access to goodies like early episode access, newsletters, and more based on the plan that's right for you.

patreon.com/faithfulontheclock

Want to give a one-off tip or donation? Use our Captivate support page. You can become a member there with the same great tier options you'll find at Patreon, too.

Support Faithful on the Clock