Passion Meets Skill: Why Skills Hold the Reigns of True Success

The words "passion" and "success" are thrown around like they are interchangeable. Well, here is the catch: They are not. While passion goes about what pounds your heart and fills you with excitement, it does not always translate to success or even security. 

Passion is awesome. It's the spark that gets you out of bed in the morning, ready to rock the day. Skills, on the other hand, can develop and evolve. They are like muscles: The more effort you put into them, the stronger they get.

You might love playing the guitar, but unless you've worked on developing your skills, you're never going to book that dream gig. 

Look around, and you'll notice a huge emphasis on the "skills gap" within credit unions. No one's crying out for a "passion gap." Credit unions want their employees to have the skills needed to meet the demands of today – and skills are quickly moving targets, with fresh innovations changing those daily operations. 

This is precisely why personal development is key for your credit union – it’s investing in yourself. Investing in your skills not only opens new opportunities for you, but it also fuels your growth and fulfillment, which ultimately leads to passion and purpose.

Let's talk about purpose. Purpose answers why we do the things we do. It is what feels good, yes, but more so it is what we do for other people. Purpose forces you to develop your skills to meet needs and solve problems (aka: meaningful work). That's where the real success lies, whereas passion can be fleeting and may vary in intensity over time. 

In a nutshell: Passion is about what excites you, while purpose is about what drives you.

Reskilling for Growth and Fulfillment

Focus on reskilling and upskilling yourself, and you aren't only becoming more marketable but also providing yourself tools for growth which brings fulfillment. And with fulfillment comes a deeper, more sustainable form of passion. 

Most people would affirm that right thinking leads to right actions. But rather, it is right action that leads to right thinking. When you take steps to develop new skills, your mindset shifts. You begin to see opportunities instead of obstacles. You start to find passion in the progress you're making.

You and your employees crave career growth, and professional development is the key to unlocking that growth. And professional development is connected to retention. 

So, the next time you're told to "follow your passion," think about it for a sec. Passion is great, but your skills are the passport to achievement. In focusing on personal and professional development, you're not merely filling the skills gaps; instead, you're creating a fulfilled career that refers fully to your passion and purpose in life.