08/29/2017
We’re all familiar with the image of the WORKAHOLIC.
It's that person who stays late at the office, working themself to the bone. Doesn’t matter if it’s Monday at 11 a.m. or Saturday at 2 a.m.—the workaholic's a MACHINE designed for one purpose: GETTING SH-- DONE!
On one hand, I absolutely admire these people.
There’s something to be said about a great work ethic, hustle, and desire to take on seemingly impossible projects.
On the other hand, there’s an aspect of the workaholic that I tend to pity. There’s a fine line between dedication and obsession, and knowing where to draw that line makes all the difference between whether your hustle and grit are virtuous traits or deleterious characteristics that cause you to lose sight of what’s really important in your life.
What are you most passionate about? What's that thing that you spend all of your energy doing? Whatever it is, outline your goals so there's a quantitative and qualitative way of determining your success.
The DEDICATED, not obsessed, person works towards a point of achievement.
And it's equally important that when you make a win—BIG or small—you celebrate it. Pick your hand up and literally pat yourself on the back. Pump your fist. Text a friend. Reward yourself by taking a break and go walk around the block.
This will keep you humble and hungry, and prevent you from endlessly chasing more work and spiraling into obsessions.
When you enter into the obsessed territory, everything else that's important in your life becomes blurred or diluted, or at worst disappears.
And from personal experience, I can say that the obsessed oftentimes possess another dangerous trait—self-loathing.
So know this: being dedicated means approaching goals like a sprint, in bursts of concentrated effort.
OBSESSION is a marathon, a life spent chained to a treadmill chasing a carrot with no hope of ever feeling satisfied—and that unfulfilled feeling laces the very essence of everything in life.
The French Renaissance writer Michel de Montaigne wrote, “Obsession is the wellspring of genius and madness.”
While this is true in the sense that the top 1 percent of 1 percent of all achievements might be unlocked by only a single-minded pursuit, madness is the more common consequence of obsession. It leaves you bitter, empty, and alone.
So, in order to create a rich, multifaceted existence, make time for your families, your friends, your health, and most of all, YOURSELF.
Enjoy your week!
and Remember your HEALTH is your WEALTH!!!
INVESET IN YOURSELF!
IG: aks_fitness
Much love.
- AK
