Can Managers Help Keep Their Employees Passionate?

In previous posts, I've mostly focused on what we can do as employees to stay passionate about our work. We can look within our jobs to focus on aspects that satisfy us or we can move to other positions, companies, or even career paths to better align our day to day lives.

For some people, there's nothing an employer can do to make their responsibilities any more meaningful to them. But for others, even small changes can make a world of difference. Here are three steps managers can take to keep their employees passionate about their work, and producing high quality work.

Ryan BonaparteFebruary 24, 2014Work, Motivation, Business, Passion

New Free eBook: Don't Quit Your Day Job...Yet, A Guide To Turning A Passion Into A Business

I have some news that I'm really excited to share with everyone. I've just released my latest eBook, Don't Quit Your Day Job...Yet!

Sign up for the Crazy Enough To Try newsletter to get your free copy.

Inspired by my most popular post, in this book I've put together a guide for those of you who are interested in starting a business based on your passions, but are unsure about what it will take to make it a reality.

Ryan BonaparteFebruary 17, 2014Book, Work, Business, Entrepreneurship, Dedication, Search, Learn, Dreams, Career, Passion, Success

Why do you do what you do?

I'll start by saying that if I don't have all the answers. I don't pretend to and I don't think anyone does.

Instead I think the focus should be on asking the right questions to get people thinking of their own answers.

"Why do you do what do?"

This question popped into my head the other day. Why do any of us do what we do? We could go down the existential route of looking at why we exist, but I think that's a bigger question for another time. I'm more focused on why do we pick the activities we like and why do we pursue the opportunities we do.

Ryan BonaparteFebruary 14, 2014Quitting, Why, Work, Priorities, Life, Hobbies

What do you think about in the shower?

What comes to mind when you are relaxed?

When you are not rushing about, doing five things at once, or balancing life's priorities, what do you think about? Do you day dream about the future? Relive the past? Maybe you just focus on getting clean.

For me the shower is the source of a crazy amount of ideas and solutions to problems I don't always realize I have. It give me a chance to let my mind wander and attack what's going on in my life that doesn't have to do with the daily grind.

PopularRyan BonaparteFebruary 6, 2014Environment, Exercise, Stress, Inspiration, Comfortable, Ideas

Are you letting your debt stop you?

I'm often thinking of new ideas/inventions to work on, new businesses to start or advise, and countless other "new things" to do. This habit of mine is one my favorites and I'm convinced it's a big part of what I'm passionate about.

It's a great activity, but the other half of my passion lies with actually bringing these ideas from thoughts into action. Thoughts are great, but action is better.

In an ideal world, I would be working with people to create awesome stuff all the time.

Ryan BonaparteJanuary 31, 2014Money, Career, Priorities, People, Passion, Dreams, Change

What Are You Willing to Sacrifice?

It would be awesome if one day you figured out your passions and then the next were living the dream. Either entering a career you loved or starting a hobby that made you smile, it would be great if that's how things worked.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Often there's a bit of change involved. Passions take time, especially if you want to become good at them through practice. And there's always a bit of sacrifice.

Ryan BonaparteJanuary 24, 2014Exercise, Practice, Search, Passion, Time, Priorities, Change, Sunset

Crazy Enough To Try Is In A Bookstore!

Yes, a real life bookstore! Porter Square Books, a local bookstore in the Boston Area, has agreed to stock Crazy Enough To Try for a few months.

Porter Square Books is an independent bookstore that publishes books from not only traditional publishers, but also from local writers. If any of you are in the area (here's the location) I'd absolutely love it if you picked up a copy.

In fact here's a little bonus: Send me a picture with you and the book in front of the store and I'll send you a signed copy of the book (so you can give your copy to a friend), a note of appreciation, plus something else awesome.

(crazyenoughtotry@gmail.com)

- Ryan

Ryan BonaparteJanuary 16, 2014Book

Where Does Stress Fit In Your Life?

Today, I have a guest post published over at Joe LaLonde's site JMLalonde.com on where stress fits in your life.

We often let stress rule our lives and take control of our actions. We don't have to. We can change that.

Interested? Go take a look to read more.

Also take a look at some of his other posts. Joe is working to empower young leaders and writes about leadership from both his own life and through working with others. There are some very interesting thoughts and I'm constantly learning new ideas both from his writings and through introspection afterwards.

- Ryan

Ryan BonaparteJanuary 9, 2014Guest Post, Stress

Where Passions Fit In Entrepreneurship

These days more and more people are looking to start off on their own and create something worthwhile. And for good reason. With the ease of information transfer, how can we not? We know about more than ever and we have unprecedented access to learn even greater things.

One of my favorite quotes about entrepreneurs is from the French economist Jean-Baptiste Say, the person who is often credited with coining the term "entrepreneur". He defined an entrepreneur as someone who "shifts economic resources out of an area of lower and into an area of higher productivity and greater yield." This is one of the oldest definition, and it touches on the heart of what entrepreneurship is about: making something society values.

However, it doesn't really talk about the path to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Anyone can say they started something or that they worked to bring more productivity to the world. But what about being a successful (however you define that) entrepreneur?

Ryan BonaparteJanuary 7, 2014Entrepreneurship, Work, Motivation, Success

Shattering The Perception of Passion

"I'm going to follow my passion this year!"

I can hear the resolutions coming quickly, filled with good intentions.

When someone says they are "following their passion", generally what they mean is that they have figured out what it is that excites them and drives them and makes them want to get out of bed most mornings and that is what they are doing as a career.

This is not the case for most people, however. In fact, the majority of people working in the US are unhappy with their jobs. So "following your passion" is not exactly common practice, and many see it as a way to happiness.

But I want to give this one warning:

Passion is not perfect.

Ryan BonaparteJanuary 3, 2014Work, Real, Why, Passion

Sharing Our Passions With Others

Many of us have passions that inspire or motivate us to individual greatness. But very few passions are present in a vacuum. Our lives are filled with other people and we interact with them on a daily basis.

One way of finding and implementing our passions is through realizing where we can help others. Help doesn't have to be a volunteer effort or a free gift, but rather recognizing what others can benefit from what we bring to the world.

Ryan BonaparteDecember 12, 2013Passion, Sharing, People, Connect

Keep The Company Of The Passionate

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn has been quoted as saying that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. While I'm not quite sure what an "average of a person" is, I get that he is referring to the general habits and behaviors that we exhibit.

If you've ever seen someone spend time with an old friend and begin to act similar to them, you've see the influence we can have on each other.

While this can be easily seen as a downside (teenagers and their ill-behaved friends are a classic example), it can also be used for positive actions.

Ryan BonaparteDecember 4, 2013Passion, Positive, Motivation, Inspiration, Goals, Connect