It’s always true, but particularly in these challenging times, you have to find a way to fall in love with your life’s work; otherwise, your energy will wane, your voice will falter, and there will be nothing to prove but the fact that you’re taking up valuable space.

And you certainly won’t be helping to develop and perpetuate the Extreme Leadership approach that our world so desperately needs right now.

I believe that our individual and collective challenge is to live up to this ideal:

Do what you love in the service of people who love what you do.

There are three parts to this mantra:

1. Do what you love: Make sure that your heart’s in your work, and that you’re bringing yourself fully and gratefully into everything you do. If you’re not connected to your own work, you can’t expect to inspire others in theirs.

2.In the service of people: This is what keeps you true, honest, and ethical at the very least. If you’re doing what you love, you’ll make yourself happy, but if that’s all you’re doing, you’re a narcissist, not a leader. Leadership is not only about you; it’s about your impact on others and your ability to help transform things for the better. Ideally, for all of us.

3. Who love what you do: This doesn’t mean that you should only find the people who already love you and just serve them–although it may, in some circumstances. (Have you ever fired a client, for example? I have). Mostly, it means it’s your responsibility to give everyone you serve something significant to love about you and what you’re doing for them.

How close are you to living this ideal? What can you change in order to get closer?

Listen to the podcast: "Steve Farber on Love and Business" on the Bigg Success Show
 
Listen to Steve Farber’s Podcast (Part II): "Helping People Become Greater Than Yourself" on the Bigg Success Show

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Steve Farber, author of Greater Than Yourself: The Ultimate Lesson of True Leadership, the president of Extreme Leadership, is a leadership consultant and speaker, and the author of the national bestseller The Radical Leap, and The Radical Edge.