I had a boss who didn't understand the difference between panic and urgency. Every 'pep talk' he tried to give us turned into a short day and drinks after work because we were so depressed or freaked out.

If your friend falls in the water or is about to be hit by a bus, getting excited about it doesn't help anybody. You have do something, and quickly, but with purpose and reason.

I think a lot of people think it's good to be super excited about everything. You have to be outraged, really angry, deeply offended and whatever. Everything has to be amplified to the extreme.

I agree. I should move to Finland, I gather they are more sanguine.

I'm not being picky but here's a definition for passion I found quickly: 'strong and barely controllable emotion'

Surely this is at least somewhat at odds with being calm?!