(2010-03-02) Hagel Passion Vs Obsession

John Hagel compares Passion and Obsession. People said I was passionate about chemistry, but they were wrong – I was obsessed. I was using chemistry as an escape from a very difficult childhood. It was a survival mechanism, not a means to achieve my full potential.

I’m now convinced that passion and obsession do not vary in degree, but in kind. In fact, in many ways they are opposite. What makes this distinction confusing is that passion and obsession exhibit very similar behaviors.

To cultivate passion, to channel its energy into Self Determination, inter-personal connections and regenerative curiosity, and finally to find the balance needed to sustain Creativity on the edge, is much more than health—it is happiness. (Authentic Happiness)