B2BSunday, October 7, 2007 12:07 PM CDT

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SALES: Where did your excitement go?

By Brian "Moose" Naber

Years ago I had the words “What’s your passion?” printed on the back of my business cards. It was my way of reminding others that they, too, should search out their real passion. For Pete’s sake, they have only one shot at an earthly life. Why not live it passionately?

Our 4-year old grandson, Caden, is my frequent reminder that a common rock can be a dinosaur bone. That grass root can be a dinosaur hair. And that pile of rocks can be a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Caden, like all kids, wears passion on his sleeve. The passion follows him wherever he goes, even to bed at night.

We all remember when we had an unbridled passion for something. As kids we were passionate about a lot of things. Playing baseball until it was completely dark. Riding bikes until the wheels fell off. Dressing and redressing our Barbie dolls, over and over again.

Passion was our manna. It replaced some of our daily food (mainly vegetables). And then, as we aged, something happened. We grew up. We started acting like adults. We lost the passion that once drove us as kids.

Like the morning fog, our passions gradually drift away from us. Here are three reasons why:

Now that we are adults, we should start acting like adults. Funny how we separate our earlier, childhood passions from our adulthood. Adults should be grownups. They should act like grownups. And that means shedding those silly, childhood passions. Its time we “got a grip”. Right? “Balderdash”! I say, go ahead. Risk embarassment. Relive your childhood and give people something to talk about. Maybe they, too, will rekindle the passions they once had.

As adults we no longer think we can. We no longer have the courage to try. We are so careful these days. People are watching how we conduct ourselves. Always window dressed so that we look our best. And what do I say to that? I say, “horse hockey”! Get out there and play ball till its dark. Take a big swing. Break a window!

Only the “preelected” get what they really want. That’s right, Joe Shmoe doesn’t have a chance. No need to even try. Right? “Broom Hilda”! Don’t tell that bilge to Wilma Rudolph, Olympic runner, who suffered polio as a child. Don’t tell that swill to your child. Let them have the same shot at passion as you did. At least that way, you can live out your passion vicariously through your child. And for Pete’s sake, don’t tell that twaddle to yourself. You still have a shot at real passion. You can still get up in the morning excited about something. Anything!

Life is like vegetable soup. When the soup boils down past the broth we are left with the pulp. The pulp is the real meat of the soup. It’s the part that sustains us. It’s the part that feeds us and gives us strength to continue on. To drive ahead. To be a kid all over again.

I hope this article has rekindled your passionate flame. I urge you to search your soul for the passion you once had. And then, day by day, you can add another twig of passion to the fire. And, little by little, you’ll be able to give others something to talk about. Something to dream about. And maybe they, too, will rekindle their flame.

So, what’s your passion? Go ahead. Fill in the blank. __________________________________.

Now, let the real passion begin.

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