Enthusiasm originally comes from the Greek language. In its original form and usage enthusiasm was associated with being possessed by a divine inspiration or the presence of a god. It was the word used to describe the energy, passion and fervor that people projected when they were possessed by a supernatural spirit. Enthusiasm is associated with inspiration, intense zeal, focus and enjoyment.

The source of all enthusiasm is belief:

First is belief in you.

If you underrate and belittle yourself and minimize your sense of self-worth, you cannot be enthusiastic about anything. The enthusiasts in ancient Greece were people that believed that they were possessed by the spirits of the gods. They did not see themselves as ordinary people. They saw themselves as peculiar people specially chosen by the gods to accomplish significant missions. Their enthusiasm and zeal was inseparable from their sense of self-worth. They believed that they were destined to accomplish challenging feats and overcome odds impossible to the ordinary folks.

The greatest mistake you can ever make is to see yourself as just an ordinary person. The fact of the matter is that you are peculiar in every sense of the word. There is no one with a DNA like yours. There will never be anyone with a voice or finger print like yours. Above all, no one will ever face the exact circumstances that the universe has matched you with. In a very real sense, like the enthusiasts of ancient Greece, we are all children of destiny divinely appointed to accomplish greatness.

The second dimension is belief in your mission.

If you are really sold out to your mission, an unquenchable fire will burn in your belly. You must believe in your product and the importance of your cause.

Arthur “Red” Motley was a master salesman and a prolific motivational speaker and writer who spent fifty years in the publishing profession. In 1958 he was famously dubbed “The greatest salesman God has ever created” after he took the deficit producing publication, “American Magazine” and turned it into a money generating periodical with a weekly circulation of more than 20 million copies within ten years.

Motley attributed his success to a life changing experience he had as a university student. To earn extra money he used to sell musical instruments and he was very successful at it. One day he accidentally discovered that his instruments were faulty in that they produced an inharmonious note “C”. Although he never received a single complaint from his customers and although all his customers continued to praise the virtues of his instruments, from the day he made the discovery his sales plunged. He had lost belief in his product and his mission. The moment you lose faith in your mission and product is the moment your enthusiasm begins to die and your chances of success begin to recede.

The best way to cultivate enthusiasm in your life is to act enthusiastically. No matter how difficult things are, raise your eyes and see the possibilities. The possibilities are always there and when you see them your enthusiasm will receive a boost. Your enthusiasm will always grow in proportion to your expectations. The greater your expectations the greater your enthusiasm for life will be.