Held on August 16th from 12 pm to 6 pm at 40 John Shelly Drive, McLaren Park San Francisco,Turning Negative into Positive (TNIP) is an annual celebration of people who have created a positive outcome out of a tragedy. TNIP uses spoken word, art, music, inspirational speakers and theatre performances to inspire community to create positive action. This is a community-minded program that models forgiveness, gratitude and responsibility as an effective method to stop violence. For more information and to pre-order tickets visit: http://www.CreateSocialChange.org/
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Something about them glows.
Some mysterious aspect of their personality attracts people to them like a magnet.
When you meet them, you know you have met someone special.
These are people whom you want to know and be around: their happiness with life, attention to detail and composure belies their intensity and effectiveness. They are, in the most simple sense, passionate about life.
Like my hair stylist Stacy Moh of HairShaper [located on 605 Mission St. San Francisco, CA 94105-3503 (415) 979-9772]. When I came to the Bay Area, it took me awhile (and some very bad haircuts) to find someone I trusted to cut my hair. Stacy is amazing: at home with a pair of scissors in her hands, she is professional, precise and caring- and it not just me who appreciates her work- her clients love how she connects with them interpersonally as a seamless extension of her craft, the results of her work show as she has a full docket of clients whom love her work and keep her schedule full.
So, what does having passion have to do with job search and your career?
EVERYTHING.
Employees and job seekers with passion are what recruiters and employers are looking to hire: a qualified candidate who always looks for solutions, maintains a great attitude all the while keeping end goals in mind.
As a Career Coach, one of my greatest pleasures is helping individuals to uncover their passion and then supporting them in finding careers that help them to live that passion.
The Benefits of Passion
There is a multitude of benefits that come with having passion in your career:
- Authenticity- When you speak from your core/center your words carry more weight. People can recognize honesty and with honesty comes respect.
- Creating a resume and interviewing for a potential job is easier because you will be able to communicate authentically with your potential employer.
- Specialization- Too many job seekers look to find a job that will help them ‘get by’ or have found themselves in a career which are passionate. Finding your passion helps focus your efforts so that you maximize your time and energy.
- The shotgun approach to job hunting has several drawbacks. Specifically, sending your resume out to tons of employers, regardless of position, only devalues your earning potential while increasing the likelihood of finding a career or job you don’t like. Alternately, when an employee demonstrate specialization your chance of advancement within the organization is increased as you have greater perceived value.
- Networking- When you find your passion, you will start finding others who will help you accomplish your goals.
- Soon, you will have a network of individuals whom you can rely on to support you in creating your vision.
Passion comes in a few forms: uncovered, learned or imbued, yet in whatever form it comes the end result is the same: contentment, respect and success. Whether you have found your passion or not, life is too short to not find it and to take the steps necessary to live that dream.
Some Passions Are Found as the Result of Life Experiences
Recently, I sat with Chimine Arfuso, Director and Founder of CreateSocialChance.org and the upcoming Turn Negative Into Positive (TNIP) celebration which is happening on August 16th in McLaren Park, San Francisco. Instantly on meeting her, the passion she has is clear:
“Typically, I work 80 hours a week. I work part-time at a local restaurant to pay the bills and the other 50 hours are spent working with and on behalf of “My Kids”. Not once have I been reluctant to get out of bed for the cause. Not once have a been daunted by the challenges placed in front of me. I have the end goal in mind... and that is creating a better today and tomorrow for our youth.”
Chimine’s mission is to share with others the lessons she gained from an unlikely source, violence. At 17, Chimine was raped by a serial rapist. Through trials and tribulations Chimine found the greatest lesson of all: to forgive others and to find gratitude in the challenges that happen in our lives.
As an extension of her passion, CreateSocialChange.org is an educational outreach movement challenging the current beliefs and reactions to violence created by learned behaviors. The goal is to empower individuals to take responsibility for the choices they make and understand the impact those choices have in their community while creating increased opportunities for today’s youth to explore their passions.
Some Passions Are Discovered at Birth
I often joke that my brother that he “was born with and wrench in his hands”. It seems that he was pre-determined to become an engineer- an assumption proved true as a structural engineer.
As much as I joke about my brother for his love of engineering, what is no joke, is living a life of sadness that lacks professional fulfillment - spending time working a job that provides no personal or professional satisfaction.
If you are not clear here are some resources and exercises that you can do to uncover your passion:
If you're anything like me, you're probably too busy to fill out these worksheets, so here is a quick visualization exercise: Grab a piece of paper (or two) and a pen. Ask yourself after you close your eyes what you would be happiest doing. Open your eyes and write down the first answers that come to your brain. No judgement. Just write down whatever comes to your head. Typically the first answer that comes up is the ‘right’ answer.
Comments
What a great event! The more people that hear about turning a negative into a positive and start taking their lives on and stop living as a victim, the more this world will become peaceful. It starts with "one mind at a time taking baby steps towards inner freedom." GO CHEMINE!!
From what I know and see (TNIP) creating social change empowers one to find deep within themselves their own ability to create their change and therefore create the change around themselves. Building from within for what is your personal dream and goal is in fact a reality that can be achieved. Surrounding ourselves with those who are like minded is healing and helps to guide us and others toward living our true path. Chemine and Nicole you are an inspiration for all that you give with your commitment of passion.I support your work, and the opportunities available to all of today's youths.
Mark speaks my language -- when you are authentic in your work life is better. We actually have a solution to help you figure it out at FastFocusCareers.com. Don't continue in a job you dislike. Happiness at work is a choice!
Great article for a great cause. I hope to be able to make it out on the 16th for what sounds like a great event.
I totally agree. Passion separates a successful career from a mundane one and helps get you through the tedious process of searching for a job.
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