Starbucks didn’t buy big ads saying, “Our coffee is really, really good and you’ll like coming to our outlets.” They lived it passionately instead. Nike was started by some guys who passionately believed they could make better running shoes. The world didn’t think they needed better coffee or running shoes, but when presented with an authentic, compelling story, consumers bought in.

The world may not think it wants classical music. But don’t tell that to Benjamin Zander. The conductor of the Boston Philharmonic is passionate about classical music, but more importantly he is passionate about life. Listen to this talk, then ask yourself: “How passionately do I feel about my business/product/job/relationships/etc., and how am I conveying that passion with every interaction I have?”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9LCwI5iErE]

Hat tip to Mitch Joel from the Six Pixels of Separation blog for bringing this to my attention.  This inspiring performance (speech isn’t the right word) was given at the TED conference earlier this year. Having this level of passion is not easy, but the dividends are so huge that it is more than worth the effort.