There is a wealth of academic research backing up the idea that when we are passionate about our work we are far more likely to succeed.  So, we asked our community to open up about their passions and have shared some of those responses below.

Shem Gott | Chandler (candle maker), husband and dad

I am most passionate about my relationship with Jesus Christ. I love my wife, kids, friends and business, but none of them compares to Jesus. From the moment I surrendered my life to him and accepted his forgiveness, my life has been totally flipped upside down. Instead of being a selfish and looking out for only me, I’ve learned to love of others because of him. Instead of looking around for other women to satisfy my desire for affection, he has taught me to love and be faithful to my wife. Instead of greedily looking around for more money, more things, a bigger house etc., he has taught me to be grateful for what I have and to be at peace. Read more>>

Adam Markel | Bestselling author, keynote speaker, and resilience expert

I’m a resilience guy. I’ve spent most of my career focused on what it takes to be at your best, even in the most challenging conditions, including writing a best-selling book on resilience (“Pivot: The Art & Science of Reinventing Your Career and Life”). Originally, I went to school to become a lawyer. I practiced for 18 years but found myself, midway through my professional career, feeling like something was off. I couldn’t really put my finger on it, but I knew something wasn’t right. Over time, that feeling grew and developed other symptoms. I had trouble falling asleep at night, or I’d have trouble getting back to sleep if I got up in the middle of the night; I would frequently get up, thinking about work and my responsibilities. Read more>>

Adrian Pelkus | Artificer

July 1st will be our 35th anniversary in the business of bringing ideas to life and manufacturing them here in America’s Finest City, San Diego. I have lived my whole life as an inventor and have spent decades supporting other inventors in realizing their dreams. It is a great feeling of accomplishment to go from a discussion of envisioning their idea, drawing and fabricating a working model, presenting the concept and launching a business from there. New ideas create new businesses which create new jobs! Read more>>

Marc Nimetz | Farmers Insurance Agency Owner

As an avid baseball fan and an insurance agent, I love stepping up to the plate to make sure my clients are well taken care of. Most people go buy insurance and they never talk with a trusted advisor. I would like the opportunity to earn their business because I love going the extra mile, delivering excellent customer service and holding my clients hands when they need it most, during a claim.  Read more>>