I could spend this post regurgitating the brilliance to be found in Kathy Sierra’s recent post, Don’t ask employees to be passionate about the company, but I’ll assume that you’re reading her stuff on a regular basis.
You are reading her stuff aren’t you?
I’m going to pretend you said yes.
But what I did want to borrow steal were the 4 killer questions from her post. If you can answer these questions, you are likely passionate about the things you do:
- When was the last time you read a trade/professional journal or book related to your work? (can substitute “attended an industry conference or took a course”)
- Name at least two of the key people in your field.
- If you had to, would you spend your own money to buy tools or other materials that would improve the quality of your work?
- If you did not do this for work, would you still do it (or something related to it) as a hobby?
How did you do?
Toby and I spend a great deal of time discussing #4. But we tend to phrase it as “If money were no object, would you still do what you do?” or “If you were independently wealthy, would you still do this work during your free time?”
That seems to get to the core of it. Is what you do so part of your being that you have to do it?
More than a living 
Jim Collins (good to great author) had an interesting exercise. Put down two columns. In one column, write down all the things you do. In the othe column, write down the things you’d do if you had $5 million and 5 years to live. Your second assignment? Work on closing the gap between those columns.
Ron: This is a great exercise! (We’re big fans of Collins around these parts.) Thanks for adding it.
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