Passion vs Purpose
The word “passion” comes from the Latin word “pati”, which means “to suffer”. Passion is an intense desire or enthusiasm for something. It often infers “pain” — the pain of not getting it or not achieving it; if it is something that can be acquired so easily, then it presents no challenge or attraction. This is why pursuing one’s Passion can be such a memorable experience.
Purpose means “the reason that something is done or created”. It gives meaning to what we do. It puts things into perspective and lets us know what is more important. Similar to Passion, it is a driving force — but for others.
Simply put, Passion is something you do for yourself because you enjoy it or because it’s of great interest to you, while Purpose is something you do for others which leaves an impact or gives you meaning. Therefore, finding one’s Passion often comes earlier in life before one starts to think about finding one’s Purpose. This is natural because Purpose requires skill sets and competencies and Passion is one of the means to build those capabilities.
When you observe a child or a young adult, it’s easier to find Passion in action more than Purpose; if given a choice (and especially when we make it clear to them that their choices have no consequences), they will choose to do the things they like for themselves — something they enjoy doing, rather than for someone else. This stems from our biological and mental development. Every human starts off with concern for self (beginning at the age of two, we develop self and other relations and learn how to say “no” to other human beings, often the parent). As we mature, we start to think and do more for others (well, some people never quite get there as often as we’d like them to).
However, that does not mean Purpose is not important. In fact, Passion and Purpose are intertwined. Have Passion without Purpose and you will find that life becomes meaningless after a while. For example, you could complete another marathon, climb another mountain in Peru, or beat another competitor in your industry. You could continue to break your own record and prove to yourself that you are indeed good at what you do. But soon, you will realize that you do not need another piece of evidence to prove the point. Finding the joy and deep satisfaction in contributing to others would then take the stage.
On the other hand, having Purpose without Passion will lead to burnout. Doing for others alone can result in a lack of self-care. Purpose alone can easily slip into mere responsibility and obligation. Passion is a form of self-care and drives continuous learning. Therefore, fulfilling Purpose with Passion gives rise to a “continuous flow of rejuvenation” — Passion fuels your body while Purpose fuels your mind; Passion drives you to improve yourself continually so you can make a difference to others’ lives in new ways, adding more excitement and fun along the way. They reinforce each other in a sustainable way.
Our human brain and language often bind us to an “either-or”, linear, dual-opposing thinking, and hence constrain our options. Passion and Purpose are not different things — they grow and develop from one another and are facets of the same — a fulfilled life that gets us closer to our well-being, our highest potential, and higher consciousness. Not pursuing either of these is short-changing ourselves.
Love what you do, do it well, contribute, and repeat.
Seok Hian Tang is the co-founder of IKIGAI Consultancy Services and she is dedicated to coaching leaders and helping organizations to scale their leadership capability.
