Have you ever thought of what it would take to make you "truly great" at what you do?

Look around you at your employees and co-workers and ask yourself whether or not any of them are "truly great" at what they do. No doubt some of them really excel at their jobs and at life, while others just seem to get by. What is it that separates those that excel from those that don't?

Is it education? Training? Commitment? Willingness to work extra hours?

Do those that excel posses better communication skills, or maybe those that excel also have better technical knowledge?

If you put these factors to the test, I think that you will be surprised by the answers. Because those that truly excel at anything have one key factor in common. Those that excel at anything are simply those that are most passionate about it.

With the Olympics just completed you saw world- class athletes competing with one another to see who was the best of the best. You saw hundreds of dedicated, passionate athletes whose skill levels are so high that the difference in their performances are measured in tenths or even hundredths of a second. The worst of these athletes still possess amazing skills and perform at levels far above those that most of us could ever even conceive.

Certainly the Olympic athletes have amazing talent, but they also work with an unprecedented dedication to perfect their skills. But for them, it's a labor of love because of the passion that they feel for their sport. They did not become great in a day; instead they have dedicated their lives to being great.

Are you great at what you do?

How much passion do you have for your job? Do you do your job because it's something that you love, or because you need the money to pay your bills. Do you work at something that you love, waking up each morning looking forward to another day of passion in your job? Or do you rise each morning and force yourself into the shower, into the office, and into a job that you would rather not do.

I'm not suggesting here that you should walk off your job and pursue a career as a wind-surfer. What I am suggesting is that each of us has things that we are good at and are passionate about. You will find it much easier to excel at something that you love doing and are passionate about. Passion for what you do will easily translate into better quality work, more productivity, increased income, and more personal happiness.

If you love working with people, then your job should reflect that and you should be in a position that allows you the opportunity to do what you do best. If you love working with the numbers and the details, then your job should reflect that as well. Most people don't take the time to think about what it is that they "want" to do, instead they focus on what they believe they "should" do based on someone else's view of what is right or wrong.

Think about what you enjoy doing. Not just hobbies, but what it is that brings you joy every day. And then focus your life and your job around those things that you enjoy the most. If you do that, you can be assured that you too, will excel at your job. If your job requires that you do things that you have little or no passion for, then your life and your work will reflect that lack of passion.