zeal

This term carries a weight of intense devotion that goes beyond mere interest or excitement. It suggests a driving, almost spiritual force that pushes a person toward a specific goal with uncompromising focus. While often positive, it can border on obsession or fanaticism if the drive becomes blind or excessive.

In professional or social settings, it is frequently used to describe a newcomer's eagerness or a reformer's passion. It differs from passion in that zeal is usually directed outward toward a cause, duty, or objective, rather than being a purely internal emotional state.