I would venture to say my hometown high school had the greatest fan in the history of sports. His name was Scott. He was my classmate and friend. He had cerebral palsy. He had unbridled passion for a team he loved, in spite of their poor performances and underdog status (Scott and I pictured here).

We were returning from a walloping at the hands of the defending state champions where we were soundly defeated by nearly 50 points.  A 400 mile bus ride in the middle of the night across the state of Montana after such a loss can be a devastating ordeal to any psyche. Not to the team manager, Scott. I woke in the middle of the night to hear him singing at the top of his lungs with his lone index finger stuck high in the air: “Libby Loggers are number ONE,” he bellowed out to a tune he concocted on his own.

I want to live with passion, like Scott, don’t you? I want to channel my energies into something I love, something meaningful and something that makes life better for many. I want to wake up in the morning with a zeal to get the day started. I would rather have a hard time going to sleep because I’m dreaming of possibilities than stewing on wasted opportunities.

During the NBA Finals, I was inspired again by at least a couple underdogs with passion. Steve Kerr is one. The coach of the NBA Champion, Warriors, intermittently asks his players and friends: “What is your ZFL level” (Zest for Life)? He considers it a critical question.  Then, there is this once obscure NBA MVP, Stephen Curry, who wasn’t even offered a scholarship to play basketball at a large university because people thought he wasn’t good enough. So, he goes to a small college, Davidson, and rewrites the record books and makes a small team and small school great.  Stephen Curry got where he is because he is passionate. He has fire in him (see photo).  Many of the greatest shooters in the history of basketball defer to Curry stating, “He is the best we have ever seen.” You don’t get that good without passion and fire. You don’t overcome odds against you without it either.

How is your ZFL level?  If it isn’t where you want it to be, consider the following thoughts, adapted from HBR’s “Two Ways to Clarify Your Professional Passions” by Steven Kaplan:

1. Best Self: Think back on a time when you were at your best. You were great and did an excellent job. You loved what you were doing and others appreciated your work as well. Remember the situation and write down all the details you can remember. What were the key elements present? Can you replicate those elements in your present state of life or can you make a change of environment to increase these?
2. Mental Models: These questions help you clarify your passions:
   1. If you had one year left to live, how would you spend it?
   2. If you had enough money to do whatever you wanted, what career would you choose?
   3. If you knew you were going to be highly successful in your career, what job would you pursue today?
   4. What would you like to tell your children and grandchildren about what you accomplished in your career? How will you explain to them your career choice?

Kaplan, in wisdom states, determine the “what” before you determine the “how?”  Often, we don’t pursue the what because we can’t imagine how.  Let’s determine the passion before we say its impossible to pursue it.

Opportunities await! I can’t wait til tomorrow!