You’ve probably heard it countless times: “Follow your passion!”

But here we are on a Sunday night after thanksgiving, nearing the year's end, and you’re not exactly shouting, “Thank goodness it’s going to be Monday!” Instead, you might feel envious of those who describe their work as their passion, wondering: How do they find so much joy in their jobs?

In other words “what to follow if one does not experience a strong innate passion for an activity to work on?” and this is one of the main questions we are tackling at WoPa.ai .

Here’s the twist: passion doesn’t always come first. The old saying suggests:

Passion → Action → Success

But recent research suggests this narrative:

Action → Success → Passion

In reality, I see it more as a positive spiral: action sparks success, success fosters passion, and passion fuels more action.

So, how do you ignite this spiral?

If you’re a manager, recognize and reward genuine success in your team—it can spark motivation and passion.

If you’re the one lacking passion, don’t wait for an epiphany. Start by taking action, observe when you excel, and keep striving.

Passion is a journey of doing, not introspecting in the vacuum.

Start your spiral today.

Sources:

Maike Lex, Michael M. Gielnik and Michael Frese, Effort and Success as Predictors of Passion. In: Passion for Work: Theory, Research, and Applications. Edited by Robert J. Vallerand and Nathalie Houlfort, Oxford University Press.