Do you describe yourself as passionate?
Check your LinkedIn profile, the About page of your website, your CV, your online dating profile. If you don’t use the word passionate, kudos to you (or maybe not, if this means you completely devoid of emotion and enthusiasm for anything in life #jokingnotjoking). If you do utilise this buzzword, don’t feel bad. I too am guilty of using this overly common and vague descriptor. The trillion bazillion dollar self-help industry* is full of advice about finding your passion, pursuing your passion, being passionate. Women in particular are told the elusive work life balance will be more easily attainable if they find the magical formula combining passion+career.
But is being passionate all it is cracked up to be? And if not, what words can we use instead?
*not an accurate estimate of the monetary value of this industry
Why I am not ‘passionate’
Recently I attended an International Women’s Day (IWD) morning tea at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery. The guest speaker was the Hon. Pru Goward, who has an impressive resume when it comes to leading portfolios related to women and families, such as Family and Community Services, Social Housing, and Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. She was also Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner. I figure she knows her stuff when it comes to the challenges facing women in the community, workforce and broader economy.
Ms Goward gave insightful advice about women finding the confidence to claim their space and feel entitled to their own voice. One of her comments was about the language women use to talk about themselves, and this really caught my attention. She was very clear in stating that she did not want to ever be labelled as “passionate”. Being passionate was not what had allowed her to achieve progress in her portfolios. Instead, Ms Goward attributed much of her success to being rational and fact driven (probably a nod to her background as an economist – I feel you, Pru).
Origin and meaning of Passionate
The word passion comes from the Latin root word,
The average person in the current day commonly applies the term passionate to mean someone is deeply enthusiastic about a topic/problem/issue. This is a watered-down interpretation of the original meaning and the application of the word has lost much of its vibrancy. Additionally, as the Hon. Pru Goward pointed out at the IWD morning tea, being enthusiastic about something is not necessarily synonymous with making an active contribution to said thing.
Being described as passionate could also infer an intense desire of a sexual nature. This is context dependent, obviously – I don’t think there are too many people using the word passionate in this way on LinkedIn. But maybe on their dating profiles 😉
Prevalence of Passion
‘Passionate’ is a regular appearance in the list of top 10 buzzwords appearing in LinkedIn profiles. So it’s fair to say there are a lot of passionate people out there. It is such a common term that it has lost
Alternatives that pack more punch
Ok, by now I might have convinced you that ‘passionate’ is not a great way to describe yourself. So, what do you do about it? There are a number of alternatives you can use that will be more appropriate (depending on context) and more impactful. Stand out from the crowd and impress people with your more sophisticated vocab (win/win I would say).
You can geek out on each of these words (and more synonyms) via the Merriam Webster online dictionary.
Ardent
Indicates intense devotion or enthusiasm, without the inference of anger.
For example:
“I am an ardent supporter of flexible working practices” or
“I will ardently fight to ensure you get the best legal representation available”
Fervent
For example:
“I have a fervent fan base”, or
“I will fervently support you in reaching your financial goals ”
Impassioned
Suggests fluent verbal expression and warmth/intensity of feeling without the inference of violence.
For example:
“I recently wrote an impassioned blog post about changing the language women use to talk about themselves”, or
“The Hon. Pru Goward gave an impassioned speech about the importance of young women finding their voice”.
Determined
Having determination means you have a firm or fixed intention to achieve
For example:
“I am determined to find job opportunities that best match your individual skills, experience and interests”, or
“My determination to be the best family portrait photographer in NSW led me to undertake a number of courses with award-winning photographers worldwide”.
Driven
Can be used to imply you are determined to succeed and are highly motivated or
For example:
“I am driven to find the best property for you and your family to call home”, or
“I am results driven, which is why I will check in on your progress every month” .
Aspire
Again, a more action-oriented descriptor that implies you are working toward a particular goal.
For example:
“I aspire to give my clients a set of tools to help them be more mindful across all facets of their life” or
“I am aspiring to write a book about my experience coping with depression and improving my mental health”.
What is your verdict? Are you an ardent believer in avoiding the word passionate? Or will you make an impassioned argument against me? I would love to hear from you either way in the comments. What is your
