“Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive and go do that!” — John Eldredge

Nelson Mandela, who for 20 years led the campaign against the racist policies of the South African government and later became the country’s first black president, observed: “There is no passion to be found in playing small — in settling for a life that is less than what you are capable of living.”

Steve Jobs lured John Sculley away from Pepsi in 1983 to become Apple’s CEO by challenging him with a provocative question: “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?”  At that time, it seemed Sculley was immovable, as the youngest President in PepsiCo’s history and credited with the highly successful “Pepsi Challenge”.  Steve Jobs’ appeal to his passion changed that.

The Bottom Line: Leaders discover and pursue their passion and call out passion in others.