I love what I do, so, sometimes it doesn’t feel like work. (Every now and then my monkey minds drags me back into whining and worrying about all the little things I can’t control and then I hate my job – just in case you wondered.)

Last week I received one of the greatest compliments that I believe a business owner can receive. I had a another business owner, who I had never met in person, plop down a fairly large amount of money to become a client. Now, that’s not the compliment, hopefully any business can say that. The compliment was that this new client said he wanted to be a client because he just loved the enthusiasm I had for my work, my business.

Passion is contagious and one of the greatest branding tools you can employ. But, passion’s not a skill set, it’s a mind set. You can’t learn passion, I don’t think, you’ve got to feel it. You must be doing something that motivates you or it will feel like work.

That motivation can come from money, from a desire to change lives, from a connection with the people you serve, or from a sense of building a business that will stand the test of time. Doesn’t really matter where your passion comes from, just know that owning a small business without passion, will feel like swimming in the ocean with weights strapped to your legs.

So stop right now and take a good hard look at what you. Ask yourself this question. What about your business, your industry, your product, your customers would provide you with a passionate desire to throw yourself into your work? Ask yourself an even harder question? What are you willing to give up in order to have a business that serves your life? Then, decide to change what you are doing right now or to change your mind set about what your are doing right now to include, accept, develop a love for your business.

Do that, and the rest, particularly marketing, gets pretty easy.