Passion: What is it? Where do you find it?  How do you share it?

In its simplest sense, passion is just elevated emotion, focused feeling, or intense intention.  When you are intent and focused,
your emotions are naturally elevated.  This definiteness of feeling is fundamental to effective communication.

When your thoughts and feelings are muddled, the words you speak are unclear and your audience senses your lack of
clarity.  Dale Carnegie often said that if someone punched a struggling speaker in the face they would get up and speak with clarity and passion. While I doubt Dale actually assaulted any of his students, his point, points you towards the source of your passion.  Your passion can be found in anything or anyone you are willing to defend.  This defense can take the form of protecting or projecting your ideas, ideals and immediate
concerns.

As you organize your comments you are defending them against disorganization.  As you hone your delivery, you are
projecting confidence in to your comments. Elevating your emotional intensity ensures your message is effectively conveyed.  When the audience senses that you believe there is
something at stake, something of value to you, something worth promoting and protecting, they experience you as a passionate
communicator.

Why aren’t you more passionate in what you say? When you reveal your passions you make the personal public, risking
rejection or conflict. Knowing what you stand for also tells your audience what you are against.  Soft pedaling your position
might be politic, but passionate presentations are the most effective presentations.