Being passionate about something is desirable. It denotes not only interest but energy and perseverance. That there is some “push” behind your interest that could lead to getting something done.
Where I have seen people get into trouble is when they become passionate to the point of being blind to anything around them or anything else. They become so consumed by their own point of view that they stop listening.
In these situations, a person begins to act in ways that can hurt someone else’s feelings or esteem. The organization suffers because it can easily become fractured when other members of the group are exposed to why a person’s blind passion is warranted when shared again selfishly by this same person who is trying to defend why they are right.
Blind passion is the ultimate example of selfishness. Everyone else be damned.
While most of us can claim never suffering from blind passion, I would argue that all of us have demonstrated, at times, a selfish need to cling to our point of view without listening to other possibilities.
I would also argue, that while maybe not being as extreme as someone with blind passion, by clinging to our point of view and the feeling that we are right, our relationships can degrade, and the possibilities around us become few.
Creating a life with balance, together with an understanding that our points of view can be flawed can be very powerful in becoming more effective in our lives.
Studying this extreme example of blind passion can help all of us better understand the problems we can get ourselves into when we let it take over.