{"id":888,"date":"2009-01-05T10:00:22","date_gmt":"2009-01-05T17:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2009\/01\/05\/goal-addiction\/"},"modified":"2018-04-04T02:57:13","modified_gmt":"2018-04-04T09:57:13","slug":"goal-addiction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2009\/01\/05\/goal-addiction\/","title":{"rendered":"Goal Addiction"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week, I wrote an article entitled, \u201cLife Balance is Overrated\u201d<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 In the article, I argued that short-term obsessions are more productive than trying to maintain balance. Accomplishing something important requires a complete focus, splitting your energies between several different areas at once wastes your time and finishes little.<\/p>\n

Although I got plenty of positive feedback from the article, I also received many comments from people concerned that short-term imbalances often lead to long-term imbalances.\u00c2\u00a0 One reader wrote that he agreed with my ideas, in principle, but in practice he knew people whose lives became consumed by their careers as they focused themselves in one project after another.<\/p>\n

I still stand by my comment on the importance of short-term obsessions.\u00c2\u00a0 But, I agree with the reader who expressed concern.\u00c2\u00a0 Often focusing heavily in one area of life (career, health, finances, socializing) makes it harder to shift your focus elsewhere after you\u2019ve reached an accomplishment. Unless you have the skill of switching focuses after a period of obsession, a short-term mission can become a lifelong burden.<\/p>\n

Why Do Long-Term Imbalances Happen?<\/h2>\n

There are several good reasons why people get stuck on one path:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. They like doing what they\u2019re best at<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 The loner billionaire likes the confidence he gets from making money but dislikes the ego-bruising he gets when trying to connect with other people.<\/li>\n
  2. They\u2019re used to a certain timing of rewards<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 The rewards for business aren\u2019t the same as the rewards for travel or relationships.\u00c2\u00a0 The timing of work, investment and payoff are different, so this might make you more attracted to one area of life than another.<\/li>\n
  3. Denial<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 It\u2019s easier to avoid than improve.\u00c2\u00a0 If you tell yourself your family, finances or health is fine even when it\u2019s disastrous, you can focus on what you like doing.<\/li>\n
  4. They\u2019re on an accelerating treadmill<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 Accomplishing a big project at work earns you a promotion and even more pressure and responsibilities.\u00c2\u00a0 There may be no logical stopping point as each goal blurs together.<\/li>\n
  5. They\u2019re habits of thinking are aimed at one target<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 If your daily routine and thought patterns are all devoted to how you can get A\u2019s in school, get in shape or double your income, those habits can prevent you from getting back in balance.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    With many of these causes, the further you move away from a point of long-term balance, the harder it is to recover it.\u00c2\u00a0 When your entire life is a mess, except for your career, it\u2019s more tempting to keep focusing on that career and ignore your other bankruptcies.<\/p>\n

    Short-term obsessions are good, even necessary, for reaching goals.\u00c2\u00a0 But that\u2019s in a 6-18 month timeframe.\u00c2\u00a0 If you\u2019re stuck on the same path for 3-5 years without ever turning away from that goal, it\u2019s much harder to get back in balance.<\/p>\n

    How to Switch Your Focus<\/h2>\n

    The easiest way to switch your focus is to do it regularly.\u00c2\u00a0 I\u2019m in the habit of assigning and changing my focus every 6-8 months<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 By placing major deadlines and milestones within these periods of time, I get the chance to switch my focus once I meet them.<\/p>\n

    You don\u2019t need to be perfectly successful in one endeavor to switch your focus.\u00c2\u00a0 When I moved to Winnipeg over two years ago, I made rebuilding my social life my main focus.\u00c2\u00a0 This lasted for about eight months, before I switched back to focusing on this website. I hadn\u2019t accomplished all of the things I had wanted, but I knew it would be a good time to switch pursuits.<\/p>\n

    I did the same thing four months ago, when I switched my focus from business and health over to a large academic project.\u00c2\u00a0 I hadn\u2019t accomplished everything I wanted with this website and my fitness, but I still made the switch.<\/p>\n

    Everything is a Work in Process<\/h2>\n

    Part of the difficulty in switching is needing a sense of closure.\u00c2\u00a0 Although it\u2019s nice to reach a huge milestone before switching, it isn\u2019t always practical.\u00c2\u00a0 Some goals you feel are achievable in 6-8 months may need 3-5 years.\u00c2\u00a0 If you see everything as a work in process, it will be easier to leave some things undone to make accomplishments in other areas of life.<\/p>\n

    This isn\u2019t the same as giving up just because you can\u2019t reach your target.\u00c2\u00a0 It only means once you\u2019ve devoted a significant amount of time to an area, it may be smart to get some distance and focus on a different set of goals.\u00c2\u00a0 Assuming both sets of goals are equally important to you, then it shouldn\u2019t matter whether you cycle them in and out every 6-12 months.<\/p>\n

    Cycling is Smart<\/h2>\n

    Cycling doesn\u2019t just lead to greater life balance, it leads to greater productivity.\u00c2\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to get dull if you stay on the same path.\u00c2\u00a0 If you\u2019re constantly obsessing about work, health or relationships, you\u2019ll get stuck in bad patterns of thinking.\u00c2\u00a0 The space that comes from switching your focus can give you new insights to improve when you switch back.<\/p>\n

    For the last few years, running this website has been a major focus.\u00c2\u00a0 But, cycling it out to focus on my social life, health or other projects has helped me bring in fresh ideas.\u00c2\u00a0 After taking a few months of running mostly on autopilot, I often come back with new solutions that are completely separate from my thinking before I took a break.<\/p>\n

    Picking a Focus<\/h2>\n

    It\u2019s a new year, so it\u2019s a great time to pick a new direction.\u00c2\u00a0 If you\u2019re in the middle a few a few projects, you might want to start by defining your current focus, as well as defining when it\u2019s going to end.\u00c2\u00a0 If you\u2019ve been stuck in the same focus for too long, maybe now is the chance to pick a new one.<\/p>\n

    In the short-term balance is static, and doesn\u2019t result in growth.\u00c2\u00a0 But, in the long-term, this flips.\u00c2\u00a0 Obsessions now become static, and balance becomes a force for change.\u00c2\u00a0 Pick your focus, decide when it\u2019s going to end and keep life interesting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Last week, I wrote an article entitled, \u201cLife Balance is Overrated\u201d.\u00c2\u00a0 In the article, I argued that short-term obsessions are more productive than trying to maintain balance. Accomplishing something important requires a complete focus, splitting your energies between several different areas at once wastes your time and finishes little. 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