david hieatt

I think it’s helpful to understand passion. Because purpose driven companies are mostly built with it.

I believe there are two types of passion. One is ‘hot passion’. It is all heart; the head is not being called upon to think. And that means sometimes things can go wrong. Hot passion is a bit like infatuation – it burns brightly, but fades quickly.

Whereas ‘cold passion’ is calm, considered and long lasting. Both the brain and the heart are working together. Emotions have been taken out of decision-making. And decisions are given time, looked at from all angles. Cold passion is much more effective at getting results. Cold passion is like a lifelong love. Once decided upon, it’s almost impossible to stop loving.

It’s good to be aware of the difference between the two. To be successful, you will need to learn the art of cold passion. You will need to create a discipline where head and the heart can both be involved in the decisions that you will have to make. Taking the emotion out of something you feel very passionate about is far from easy. But easy don’t build great.

Excerpt from my new book: Do Purpose. Why brands with a purpose do better and matter more.