Your Passion is your Superpower - in conversation with James Rosseau
With a passion for helping others and leading with a “head and heart” mission, James Rosseau has dedicated the next phase of his career to helping young people, ages 13–34, to find their passion, train and mentor them, kickstart their careers so that in the end, they can achieve sustainable personal and professional growth.
We are in conversation with James to learn more about the importance of uncovering your passion.
Linking to your ‘core’ is often not easy, it’s usually not what we’re being taught growing up. What are your views on career development and the necessity to finding your core — your passion and drive, in order to really succeed, in all aspects of life?
“Passion often fuels creativity, it urges you to keep learning and working toward mastery. Passion fosters social bonds and brings people together. When in a difficult situation, passion can often be a refuge, a distraction, a solace. It has been said many times: follow your passion, it will lead you to your purpose, and eventually, it will become your profession.
Research shows that there is a strong connection between passion and self-actualization.
“Finding your core, your passion, and purpose is essential, for two main reasons. First, when you find your passion and purpose, it’s like unlocking an energy capsule, and it becomes this never-ending source of energy. When people talk about their passion, they visibly light up and their whole demeanor changes. That’s why a very important, first part of our mission is guiding young people to uncover that passion. The second part is debunking certain things we have learned growing up. Things like being the best at math, getting a nine-to-five job, climbing the corporate ladder, and saving your passion for after retirement. These considerations are often regarded as the norm but they don’t need to be, and in my opinion, they shouldn’t be. Having to check your passion or purpose at the turnstile before walking into an organization shouldn’t be normal. Passion and profession definitely should not be mutually exclusive.
“These two critical elements of personal development, helping people unlock their passion, and then articulating that into a purpose so that their passion can be put to good use, that’s what Corelink is all about. Passion and profession can, and should be integrated. Being able to do that is the closest we can get to self-actualization and living an authentic life.
“I had a mentor who worded this perfectly. He asked me, “What do you do well without trying? Now, try.” Imagine what that looked like. Once you start with this mindset, it’s much easier to find a profession, job, and industry where you will fit best and will be able to reach your fullest potential, as opposed to the other way round.
“There are many organizations around that work with young people; however they mostly focus on technical skills and vocational skills. One of our goals is to build long-term, sustainable partnerships with these initiatives. We consider the core of our programs to be like an ‘intel inside’ piece, which is of huge value for anyone looking to develop whichever ‘practical’ skills. That’s why we see ourselves as partners adding complementary value to the many existing programs that are out there.”
Thanks for sharing, James, very inspiring.
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James Rosseau is the founder and CEO of The Corelink Solution, a non-profit organization that is committed to revitalizing communities through programs that empower people to reach their potential. With over 20 years of leadership experience in a variety of industries, including insurance, healthcare, and finance, James brings a strong business background.
