WHAT BEES CAN TEACH US ABOUT FINDING OUR PASSIONS

Finding our passion is a life-long question and can lead to great satisfaction and joy in work and life. If we are so busy and consumed doing something we don’t love, it can lead to frustration and burn out. 

Nature is a great teacher and specifically the life of honey bees. Scout bees are constantly on the look out for rich sources of pollen, such as a beautiful apple tree in full bloom on a spring day. When they find a beautiful source of pollen they return to the hive and make a Waggle Dance to share the news with their hive buddies. Forager bees are inspired by this and go to seek a second opinion. If they come back with the same enthusiasm then a further wave of bees goes until an entire colony of thousands of bees all collect nectar and pollinate the same tree. 

So let’s learn from the bees. In life, let’s work hard and do the best in what we’re doing now, and let’s keep looking at the horizon for what else may inspire us and fuel what we need in life.  There is a model called Ikigai which is three overlapping circles of what we are good at, what we love to do and what the world needs. The intersection of these three is our purpose – what our unique contribution to the world is. Let’s keep being curious and be open to new possibilities.  Let’s ask friends and colleagues what they are doing and what they love.  Let’s keep looking for what we love. Let’s experiment, try out new things and keep being curious. Then let’s throw ourselves one hundred percent into what we love doing. Nothing ventured. Nothing gained. 

Bee Wise: 12 Leadership Lessons from a Busy Beehive by Philip Atkinson is out now, priced £20. To learn more about the project see beewisebook.com