![\"Forrest](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/\/2013\/08\/guth.jpg\")
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\u201cDo what you love, and love what you do.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n How many times have you heard that — or a variation of it?<\/p>\n The principle abounds in leadership teaching. To be a truly successful leader, you need to discover your passion and operate only from that grid. Spend your days doing what you\u2019re most interested in. Discover your passion and thrive doing what you do best.<\/p>\n The principle is true if passion is defined as an overall sense of purpose.<\/p>\n But the principle becomes problematic if passion is defined as only aiming for life\u2019s sweet spot.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t know about you, but there have been plenty of times I\u2019ve been called to lead where I\u2019m not doing what I love, and I\u2019m not loving what I\u2019m doing. I\u2019ve been exhausted, frustrated, burned out, angry, or discouraged. I\u2019ve needed to lead from duty, responsibility, willpower, or necessity.<\/p>\n Enter a simple principle, one that\u2019s so powerful it trumps the narrower definition of passion. When you lead from this principle, you\u2019re not worried about having bad days, getting your needs met, or always loving what you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n The principle is willingness.<\/p>\n Forrest Guth (1921-2009) and Marcus at the 2008 Easy Co reunion.<\/p><\/div>\n Forrest Guth, one of the original Band of Brothers, embodied this principle<\/strong> after jumping into Holland for Operation Market Garden. Seconds out of the plane, he discovered to his horror that his parachute hadn\u2019t fully inflated. Guth streamed through the sky, flailing. The men had jumped too low to open reserve chutes. Desperately, Guth tried to smooth out his silk. No success.<\/p>\n Guth thudded into the dirt and was knocked out cold. When he came to, his back and leg were paralyzed. Medics hauled him to a cattle barn where he lay for two days until the line moved up. They put him in a jeep, carted him to the rear, and put him on a plane to a hospital in England.<\/p>\n Guth was bedridden for weeks. Gradually, some feeling returned to his leg and back. But his fighting days were over. Doctors gave him the wonderful news that his injuries were sufficient to be discharged from the military. His wounds were his golden ticket home.<\/p>\n Home<\/em>.<\/p>\n That was Guth\u2019s place of passion. Home meant apple pie and girlfriends, hot food, clean sheets, and Glen Miller on the radio.<\/p>\n Guth could hop the next plane for America.<\/p>\n But\u2014get this\u2014Guth said no.<\/p>\n![\"Forrest](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Forrest-Guth-in-2008-1921-20091.jpg\")
![\"Forrest](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2013\/08\/guth2.jpg\")
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