Be passionate about what you do

The other day at lunch a co-worker of mine and I were talking about hockey. Our conversation ended up at Alexander Ovechkin, left winger for the Washington Capitals.

Whether you are a hockey fan or not this guy is a sight to see on the ice. Every goal he scores is like his first goal, every game he plays is like his last. Every minute of the game you can tell there is no place in the world he would rather be then in that building playing that game. It’s inspiring and devastating at the same time. The side effect of his passion is that everyone else around him feeds off it, it motivates them and drives them to work harder. His teammates give that little extra effort and the crowd in the build cheers just a little bit louder.

So what does this have to do with software development? Absolutely everything! Being passionate about what you do not only makes you better at your trade of choice but it makes those around you better. If you are excited about what you do it’s hard for people around you not to start having the same attitude. Don’t just think about this as a way to improve yourself, it’s also a chance to improve others around you.

As always, in business (as in hockey) what you are passionate about can get lost sometimes, deadlines, interviews, clients, fans… they can all go a long way to drive the passionate parts into the background. This happens to everyone and can’t be avoided at times, but the best way to deal with it is to be positive and be passionate, your customers, clients and co-workers will appreciate it.