A vision without passion will yield little results in the world of work. And vice versa.
When discussing the common traits of successful businesses and entrepreneurs, the two that come up most often are vision and passion. In its broadest sense, a vision is a goal for what your business will look like in the future. It doesn't necessarily just involve achieving a certain level of profitability. For many, this vision also includes having a positive impact on the world.
Passion, on the other hand, is your inner drive and motivation that led you to take on the role of an entrepreneur or leader in the first place. These two terms are closely related and, in fact, are very often distinguished from each other in the world of work. By understanding how to align your passion with your vision, you can lay the foundation for more success in your business.
Define the relationship between passion and vision
One great example of the relationship between passion and vision comes from Kristy Short, CMO at RootWorks. In an interview with American Express, she explained: “There is no entrepreneur without passion. But there is no passion without vision. At the heart of entrepreneurship is a vision that drives the production of the highest quality products and services. The company's vision is to help clients solve their problems so that they can ultimately live the life they want. […] Our team is always looking for new ways to support our vision and will never deviate from it. Our vision is what drives our passion as entrepreneurs. ”
In this example, vision comes first. Short's team had a clear vision of what they wanted to achieve and what they wanted to help their clients achieve. Starting with that goal made it easier for the team to identify solutions and tap into their passion to help drive the greater good.
Of course, there are cases where entrepreneurs start with their passion and turn it into a vision for something bigger. In fact, it turns out that for many entrepreneurs, freedom and passion are the biggest motivators for starting a business in the first place.
Entrepreneurs may start a business out of a passion for the film industry and use that to guide their company toward a larger vision of helping improve their overall niche. Or we can find a philanthropic angle that gives our work greater meaning.
Regardless of which comes first, these two traits work together to provide powerful motivation for the entire team. Passion often comes from caring about your work and being invested in your company's mission and vision, not just an interest in a specific field.
How passion and vision evolve over time
According to Deloitte research, passionate employees “drive extreme and sustained performance improvement,” while also being more resilient and motivated to learn and grow personally. This can be a huge boon for employers, and a similar mindset can help entrepreneurs fine-tune their passion and vision over time.
A great example of this comes from Shyla Slavin, founder and CEO of V-Luxe, a company that offers products to help women treat conditions such as bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections.
Slavin explained in a recent conversation: “When I was struggling to find a radical cure for my recurring BV, I told myself that if I found a workable solution, I had to share it with other women.” My passion to help other women grew over time as I learned how widespread the problem was. To the point where I essentially cured the disease and brought the product to market. My horizons expanded significantly. Initially, my passion and vision were focused on myself, then I wanted to help others within my sphere of influence, and eventually that. My initial vision was small at first, but it has now grown tenfold by continuing to nurture my passion to help as many women as possible.”
In Slavin's case, the scope of her vision and passion expanded exponentially over time. This played a huge role in turning her help-seeking into its own business. Some entrepreneurs think that their vision expands in scope, while others use their vision to stay true to their brand identity even when the market requires major changes.
Brands like Amazon, IBM, and Netflix have reinvented their services over the years while maintaining their core identity, passion, and vision. This focus helped lead to sustained success even as necessary changes were made to specific activities.
Turn your passion and vision into something meaningful
When passion and vision for a business idea align, it becomes an incredibly powerful tool. These traits not only provide motivation to keep moving forward during difficult times, but also give you a clear goal to aim for.
You will be more engaged, more resilient, and able to continue learning and improving. Your passion and vision strengthen each other and help you stay focused on what matters most and keep your enthusiasm and drive intact, no matter what the market throws at you.
