Last night in London was one of the most memorable evenings of my life. I co-hosted (with Jeffery Merrihue, legendary marketing scientist) a dinner gathering for a handful of business leaders with a particular interest in sustainability initiatives for their companies. Our special guest for dinner was Al Gore.
I had seen Gore in person twice before. The first time was about a year after he had been defeated in the 2000 election. The two of us shared an elevator ride in our hotel. It was 11 a.m. and Gore looked as if he had been hit by a truck. I can't presume to know what was going on in his life that day, but he looked unhealthy and completely disheveled -- I recall thinking that must be how anyone would feel after what he went through.
I was fortunate to be able to spend more time with Gore a few years later at the eclectic TED conference. Gore spoke to the group, and was inspiring. He captivated the audience with a well-written and rehearsed speech, and received a standing ovation. Despite any political reservations that may have existed among members of the audience, Gore was clearly an exceptional speaker that afternoon. Later that night, Gore and I conversed over a glass of pinot noir. We were joined by a Stanford professor, who politely (and then more confrontationally) began to challenge some of Gore's scientific assumptions about global warming. This will be good -- I remember thinking. Like most people, I had developed a healthy dose of skepticism about national political figures. Is global warming just a stump speech? Is this a shallow, but very carefully rehearsed argument? But Gore did not back down, or avoid any questions. For about 30 minutes, I watched as Gore went toe-to-toe with this esteemed academic. If there was any debate, Gore won hands down, and converted both of us to believers in the process.
The next day, Gore and his wife, Tipper, sat in the audience as Tony Robbins spoke for about 20 minutes. "Have you ever had a big dream? Something so close and so amazing that you could touch it?" Robbins asked our group. "What prevented you from achieving it? What stopped you?" Someone in the back shouted, "Lack of money." "No experience," trumpeted another. "Fear," called out a third.
Just then, Al Gore jumped up and yelled "The Supreme Court!!!"
What followed was one of the longest bursts of laughter and applause I can remember. But then Tony came over to Al. "That's what was missing!" shouted Tony. The audience fell completely silent, collectively holding our breath. "Al (long pause), if you had shown anywhere near that amount of emotion, even once during your campaign, you would have won the election. I had so many friends that wanted to vote for you, and you simply gave them no reason." In front of that small room of people, Al bowed his head and agreed. It was a purely authentic moment. I was amazed at what I had just seen, and by Gore's honest self-reflection.
Which brings us to last night. This was not the Al Gore I had seen in the hotel elevator or the polished speaker from a few years later just regaining his footing. This was a man overwhelmed by his passion. He was exceptionally funny, and extensively self-deprecating (a person's faults are often largely what makes them likable). He was so emotionally moving that an executive with one of World 50's member companies called his CFO during the salad course and donated $1 million to the environmental non-profit that Gore supports. It was a magical moment. I felt it along with everyone in the room. And Gore felt it too.
What has led to Gore's amazing resurrection? Sure, the last two years have been good to him, with Live Earth, winning two Academy Awards and recently the Nobel Prize -- that's a historic run of accomplishment. But we are often all too quick to come to the misconception that someone's success has led them to be passionate about what they are doing. It is the same as us day-dreaming during our day job about that elusive next promotion. "If I could just be 'that guy,' higher up in the organization, then I would be passionate about my job. Certainly with that level of pay and prestige I would be happy!" Those with this belief often end up struggling years to reach the end of their rainbow, only to find the pot of gold filled with empty coffee cups and bubble gum wrappers. They are just as unhappy in these more senior roles, if not more, than they were much earlier in their careers. And that's when the real feeling of entrapment sets in.
Passion is not a benefit of success. It is a cause of it.
Gore picked himself up after the emotionally devastating defeat in the presidential election and decided to focus on the environment. I can only image that he did not do so for ego, or a need to get back in the public eye, or from having any remote aspirations that he might end up winning a Nobel Prize. He did it because his station in life, as disheartening as it must have felt at the time, allowed him to sit back and focus on what he was truly passionate about. Redirecting his efforts toward his true passions has unlocked an amount of potential in him that few might have seen. And now, it is unmistakable. He has become so successful because his passion has elevated his play. It seems he had a long political career because that was what he was supposed to do with his life. He struggled to convince the electorate, and probably himself, that he was happy to be there. Fast forward, and he has won a Nobel Prize because he is now doing what he wants to do with his life. I spent last night with a man who has found his true purpose on earth. Al Gore has met his calling.
From the shop floor to the most senior executive, there are those just going through the motions, unhappy and unfulfilled with their work, but plodding along because "that is what they are supposed to do." We ALL have options. In any role, there are ways to expand your involvement to things that really motivate you. To a cause in the company that is important to you. Improving safety or productivity in the factory. Championing an initiative within your unit or division. Volunteering for a non-profit because you want to make an impact.
I have spent a lot of time studying and thinking about how people make The Leap, breaking out of a lifetime trajectory of ordinary to accomplish truly exceptional things. Overwhelmingly, aligning your daily activities with your passions is the beginning of the spark that starts this amazing transition. And it is not the outcome that is important. Work becomes fun. There are moments you know why you are getting up each morning. You get an intoxicating taste of purpose. And astonishingly, your performance starts to pick up, achieving things you and others may have never thought possible.
Al Gore's focus on what he is truly passionate about has allowed him to unlock potential that few may have predicted. And he is having a ball. Much higher levels of success are also likely available to you. But get there or not, bringing your passions into your work will surely make the ride more enjoyable.