What Are You Passionate About?

I was asked this question in a job interview the other week.

"What are you passionate about?"

I had studied the company I was interviewing with for hours. Spent the entire day prior in a cafe reading interviews, articles and press releases. I taught myself as much as I possibly could about the industry, their clients, and their competitors. While attempting to wrap my mind around the world of software publishing-- complete with it's multitude of languages, algorithms and interfaces-- I practiced my confident "Ahh, yes, of course" face to stave off the doe-eyed, quizzical "I don't get it" reaction that I usually have to computer talk. I googled 'often asked interview questions' and memorized well thought out answers-- making sure that every rehearsed response alluded to a skill that further confirmed my qualification for the position. I even went so far as to find the LinkedIn profile of the CEO I was meeting with to try and gain some insight into who he was and what he might want to hear. I was excited. I had prepared. I thought I had this interview in the bag...

And yet, this was his first question. Personal. Innate. Simple? Frustrating.

Ignoring all advice to take my time and politely say, " Hmm, please give me a moment to think. No one has ever asked me that before," I began to ramble. I started to talk about my hobbies. Surely the activities I fill my free time with must be what I am passionate about. I found myself discussing my yoga practice, my crafting and my Etsy site (www.etsy.com/shop/SucculentSuccotash).  I spoke about overcoming my fear of the wake while wakeboarding, my desire to learn how to surf and interest in hiking. I expressed my love for cooking and hosting dinner parties. I shared how chopping vegetables was therapeutic and that I found it fun not following a recipe and experimenting. What was I supposed to say? Stopping world hunger? The dialogue was hitting a dead-end. I felt like I was speed dating. I wasn't painting a vivid picture of what really made me tick. I wanted to change the subject and we were supposed to be talking about what excited me! Unless he was looking for tips on opening up his hip flexors, wire wrapping jewelry, or whipping up a delicious lemon pudding cake, the entire conversation was doing nothing to strengthen my assertion that I was the candidate that he was looking for. None of these interests screamed "HIRE ME. " Needless to say, I did not get the position.

I have quickly gotten over the disappointment of not getting this job (... by distracting myself and purchasing a plane ticket ...) but the bummer of stuttering through such a straightforward question has stuck with me. How did I incorrectly answer a question that has no correct reply?

After many melancholy glasses of Malbec, I reached a revelation. While the word "passion" can be defined as an object of enthusiasm, I think that it's true definition is much more powerful than that. It is the emotion that these activities provoke. A hobby is simply an interest pursued for pleasure. It is an action. Passion comes from within.  It is a compelling feeling; an inspiration. Only upon digging into our psyches and analyzing why we do the things we do can we realize what gives us our spirit. A 'downward dog' is not my driving force-- but the overwhelming sensation of peace and calmness it brings enlivens me. Beading a necklace does not make me a better person-- but exhaling my inner creativity and completing a project that sprung from my imagination does. Wakeboarding is only the means; it is the rush of excitement from the risk-taking involved that breathes life into what makes me ME. It is not the trek up the trail that I enjoy the most but, upon reaching a summit, the appreciation that the sprawling horizon before me is nothing more than a thread in the loom of life. I am encouraged by understanding that the world is vast yet that I am enjoying the view from the highest peak I could find. Cooking a meal for friends is just an event. Sharing something I made, with people I love, is deserving of my enthusiasm. The gratification gained from any honorable accomplishment merits my ardor.

I am passionate about being passionate.