A true professional is not defined by the job he or she does, but how he or she does the job. 

When I first met Fred the postman (the real-life Fred Shea who I wrote about in my book The Fred Factor), I realized that he made delivering the mail both art and science; Fred was doing an ordinary job in an extraordinary way. What accounts for the remarkable difference between Fred and other postal carriers who fall short of his amazing level of service?

Consider:

Ability determines what you can do.

Aptitude determines what you can learn to do.

Aspiration determines what you hope to do.

Attitude determines what you believe you can do.

But passion determines what you want to do!

You and I would agree that there is a lot of gimmickry, fakery, and posing in the world. But true passion cannot be faked—at least for very long. Passion can be learned, grown, developed, and cultivated. And when it becomes part of who you are it will become part of your brand—part of how people identify you.

Developing passion in your own life for what you are called to do today—be a parent or spouse, make a sales call, teach a class, lead a company—is a daily exercise in self-leadership. In an article on creating passion and purpose in the workplace, consultants Joe Morrow and Vince Cavasin wrote, “Having a leadership mentality implies the conscious choice to live a life of meaning and to create an environment for all those around us to do the same.”

As I see it, “leadership mentality” is synonymous with “passion mentality.” This way of thinking affects not only you but those around you. You must choose to lead yourself into the passionate lifestyle that will make you a valued, repeat performer to those you serve.

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Mark Sanborn is a Passionate Definition. Read more about Mark Sanborn.