How to Turn Your Passion into Purposeful Action
10 Things Social Purpose Organizations Need to Know About Turning Passion Into Purposeful Action
Passion fuels the heart of social purpose organizations, but transforming that energy into meaningful action requires more than enthusiasm — it demands strategy, alignment, and intentionality.
In this session, Shilbee Dhalla-Kim, a passion coach and experienced facilitator, guided social purpose leaders through strategies to harness passion effectively. She explored how organizations can align personal passions with their mission, cultivate collective enthusiasm within their teams, and balance passion with the practical realities of running an organization.
If you missed the live session, you can watch the full recording through our membership here.
Read on for some of the tips and the Q&A.
Top Takeaways
1. Clarify Your Why
Be clear on your organization’s vision and mission.
How? Use frameworks like the Golden Circle (Why, How, What) and the 9 Why’s to dig deeper. (Resources mentioned throughout are linked at the bottom of this article).
Tip: Discern the sources of motivation behind your actions to ensure they align with your values.
2. Build a Sandbox
Co-creation thrives when there are boundaries within which people can collaborate.
How? Inspired by Negin Sairafi and Hima Batavia’s work, create a “sandbox”—a defined space where creativity and collaboration can happen freely but with structure.
Tip: Set constraints like timelines and scope to maintain focus and prevent mission creep.
3. Back Up Passion with Strategy
Strategy acts as a compass, guiding passion toward long-term goals.
How? Use strategic planning tools like Emergent Strategy and the Flourishing Business Canvas to integrate passion into structured decision-making.
Tip: “Prioritize the priorities” to ensure focus and alignment with organizational goals.
4. Balance Logic and Love
Passion is deeply emotional, but decision-making must also be grounded in data.
How? Collect both quantitative (metrics, performance data) and qualitative (stories, testimonials) insights to guide decisions.
Tip: Balance heart-driven (emotional) and mind-driven (analytical) choices to make practical, sustainable decisions.
5. Passion is Not for Everyone
Not every team member will be driven by passion—and that’s okay.
How? Recognize different motivations for work, from financial stability to skill-building.
Tip: Avoid shaming people who may not share your passion but contribute in valuable ways.
6. Develop a Culture of Care
Passion-driven work can lead to burnout if organizations don’t prioritize care.
How? Be mindful of structural inequities like passion privilege, passion pay, and passion tax.
Tip: Ask team members how they prefer to give and receive feedback to foster supportive communication.
7. Expand Your Understanding of Passion
Passion is deeply personal and varies across individuals.
How? Instead of asking “What are you passionate about?” try “What are you curious about?” or “What do you nerd out about?”
Tip: Consider Robert J. Vallerand’s research on Harmonious vs. Obsessive Passion to create a healthy approach to passion in the workplace.
8. Passion Requires Cultivation
Passion isn’t static—it needs nurturing to stay strong over time.
How? Think of passion like a fire: oxygen, fuel, and heat are needed to sustain it.
Tip: Burnout is on the rise in the nonprofit sector—recognize the signs and invest in team well-being.
9. Resolve Issues When Tension is Low
Passion can create tensions—address them before they escalate.
How? Use conflict resolution tools like Navigating Conflict and Change.
Tip: Develop clear mediation protocols and encourage open, early communication.
10. Get to Alignment
Align passion with organizational needs and team capacity.
How? Create structures that allow for gradual skill-building and clear team workflows.
Tip: Passion alone doesn’t create impact—alignment and execution do.
Your questions, answered
Q: What are some practical ways for new social purpose organizations to ensure passion translates into sustained action, especially with limited resources?
A: Define your organization’s core mission and priorities early. Start with a low-cost strategy, such as using Google Docs for planning and engaging in peer mentorship for support.
Q: How can I continue to renew my passion as a social entrepreneur?
A: Set aside time for reflection and realignment. Passion often evolves—embrace new curiosities and look for ways to reignite excitement through collaboration or learning.
Q: How do I advocate for marginalized groups without burning out?
A: Establish boundaries and support systems. Build networks of co-advocates and prioritize self-care to sustain long-term advocacy work.
Q: What are ways to balance flow vs. rigidity in long-term goals?
A: Use an iterative strategy approach—have clear goals, but allow for flexibility in how you achieve them.
Q: Is it possible to build a social enterprise around my passion without burning out on admin tasks?
A: Yes, but delegate non-core tasks like marketing and finance to others when possible. Lean into automation and partnerships to stay focused on your mission.
Recommended resources
Simon Sinek’s Why Framework → Start With Why
Liberating Structures 9 Whys → Learn More
Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown → Book
Flourishing Business Canvas → Framework
Navigating Conflict and Change (Colin Craig) → Handbook
Final takeaways
Passion needs strategy to create impact. Align it with your mission, set clear goals, and develop a structured approach.
A culture of care is critical. Passion can lead to burnout—create healthy boundaries and support systems.
Passion is diverse. It’s not the same for everyone, and that’s okay. Understand different motivations and foster shared enthusiasm.
Watch the recording of this and many other sessions.
The full recording of this live session is available in our library now.
