The downside of obsession
At its worst,obsession is an iron mask that permits us to gaze in only one direction at
one thing-or,to use another metaphor,a giant tidal wave that crashes through our minds and
washes away all other concerns.
We may become obsessed with a person,a place,a goal,a subject.
However,with time obsession unbalances us.
We often begin to neglect parts of our lives we should n't.
If allowed to become too consuming,obsession causes us to devalue important dimensions of
our lives and tolerate their atrophy and even their collapse.
The upside of obsession
But this belief is a delusion.
Our happiness never depends on any one thing,no matter how important one thing may seem.
Further,we have to acknowledge that it's hard,if not often impossible,
to achieve something great without being just a little bit obsessed with it.
In fact,when properly harnessed,the increased energy,drive,determination,
and resiliency obsession brings can be highly adaptive.
Obsession,when made to serve us,can bring out our most capable selves,
motivating us to find the creativity and ingenuity to solve incredibly difficult problems.
How to control an obsession
The challenge then is to make our obsessions function positively,controlling them so they
don't control us,extracting the benefit of obsession without succumbing to its detriments.
To do this,the following strategies may be helpful:
Distract yourself at varying intervals.
Finding something attractive and pleasurable to distract you from you obsession,
to provide you a break from thinking about it.
Read a gripping novel,help a friend in distress.
Do something that takes you out of your own head.
Focus on your greater mission.
As I wrote on an earlier post,"The Importance of Having a Mission,"finding and embracing
a mission in life will defend you against the sense your life is meaningless.
And if you're able to care about a mission that in some way brings joy to or removes
suffering from others,you'll find yourself more firmly anchored,upright,and balanced.
Adopt a practice that grounds you.
Meditate.
Take up karate.
Or dancing.
Do something physical in different surroundings to engage a different part of your mind
that's interested in other things besides your obsession.
Allow time to pass.
With time,many obsessions gradually lose their flavor.