Novelist E. M. Forster said, “One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.”

Forster’s quote comes to mind as the Mega million jackpot climbs to $173 million entering Friday’s drawing. What if you hit? Would you be doing the same things you are doing now? Is there anything about your life that you wouldn’t change if you won all that money?

There’s plenty in my life I could never change. I would still coach, and would still travel the country, speaking to groups about motivation, skill-building and teamwork. I might fly first class instead of coach, and would eat in nicer restaurants, but the destination would be the same — in a gym or  front of an audience.

No amount of money could get me to change.

Look around the world of TV, radio, music, movies, etc. The people you see all got where they are because of something they really enjoyed doing.

Rooney Mara, star of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” cited passion as a factor in her climb to stardom.

“I grew up surrounded by people who knew what they loved to do and worked very hard at that, so that was definitely instilled in me,” she said.

If you haven’t yet found your passion, one of your New Year’s resolutions could be to find it in 2012!