#1. Passion
QUOTE: I must keep some standard of conviction within myself. - Abraham Lincoln
Passion is not about being loud or charismatic! I know some of the loudest people you would ever want to speak with, but that does not mean they are passionate concerning their purpose. I am afraid this is an instance where we often see style [loud] over substance. Real passion for a subject or issue always contains a reservoir of unspoken content. It is never merely a surface engagement.
It is about a focused direction! Where is your business going? No, I am not talking about just the dollars and cents. I mean ... in looking at the BIG picture ... what is the direction! What are you doing to make it happen? On a scale of 1 to 10, how focused are you on your vision for the future? Or, are you taking it one day at a time and hoping for the best? Do you find your days filled with merely "putting out fires" within your organization? As someone said, "Hope is not a strategy!"
Passion keeps us open to new ideas and creative collaboration! What was the last "new idea" you had for your business? When was the last time you tried to execute a new strategy? Who was the last person you bounced an idea off of to see what they thought? Who are you using to make sure the "fire in your belly" stays lit? Is there "fire" or just "smoke"? Passion is something that burns in our souls. It is often difficult to explain, but must be if we are to garner the horsepower of those around us.
Question ... how passionate are you about your business and its future?
QUOTE: "One danger of fast growth is that a company can lose its focus, forget its mission, and take its eyes off its core competency. Not only is rapid growth a problem, but success, unless properly handled, can be toxic." - Michael Eisner - Disney