When you do a job just for the sake of doing a job and you hate it, you have a certain energy which goes into it that which is flat. There's a passionless expression which is translated into sub-par work. Basically you're functioning at a real low capacity and not scratching the surface of your potential. The opposite of this is doing something you love, where you're energized, motivated, excited, and really in the zone when you're engaging in your work to the point where it doesn't seem like work at all. Taking this up another notch is when someone believes that what they're doing was what they are meant to do and feel compelled to share that gift with others.
That's something that UFC lightweight Jamie Varner has experienced in turning his life around and moving in more positive directions. He considered stepping away from fighting and shifting back to a "normal" job and living a "normal" life; but decided that he was gifted at combat sports and felt it was his purpose and responsibility to share his talent, expression, and art to the millions of MMA fans worldwide. You can imagine the type of consciousness and quality of work which emerges when someone takes that type of approach to the work they do.
Someone else who this reminds me of is Randy Couture. Couture was able to fight to the age of 47 against the elite in the UFC. This is a rare feat and something that was achieved by Randy through taking care of his body, being smart with his training approach, good dieting and genetics; but also a very strong sense of purpose. There's a Sanskrit word Dharma, which translates into English as purpose of life; and for Randy Couture fighting was his purpose in life. So when Couture mentions in his book, The Way of the Fight, how much he loves and appreciates fans, he's being totally sincere. "When fighters say they couldn't have done it without the fans, they do mean it", writes Couture in his autobiography. "If not for our crazy, hardcore fan base, mixed martial arts would have died during its dark years, and I might never have found my purpose in life."
Passion and purpose can take you miles further than you could possibly think; and those miles which you travel along will be of the highest quality, and filled with extreme joy.