i'm very busy & important (being addicted to activity & disconnected from purpose)

You’ve got a million and one things to do today.  Well, that’s the way it is every day, right?  You run here and there and back and forth.  You’re extremely busy.  Obviously, you’re making a contribution, right?  You’re busy,  so you must be important, right?  

Not necessarily.  If you aren’t working from a sense of purpose?  Then you’re probably just running faster and faster, spinning your wheels.  You might be caught in what is sometimes called the ‘activity trap’.  You’re justifying your existence by the number of things you have to do in a day.  You might just be addicted to being busy.

I feel the need....the need for speed!

What we’re really experiencing is the high of adrenaline.  We become addicted to the drama of being busy.  We become addicted to the anxiety and the overwhelm.  

It heightens our senses and we begin to believe that because there is drama and anxiety, “I’m alive.”  

That rush of adrenaline is thrilling.  We feel needed.  We feel useful.  We feel successful.  

We get the instant gratification of having saved the day.  We’ve rescued our friends, family, boss, or co-workers by responding immediately to whatever crisis is at hand.  We’re awesome because we’re busy.

The Problem?

You’re letting others dictate your priorities.  You’re not coming from a sense of purpose and vision or working from what works for you in your life.  You’re reacting.  Constantly.  

And in so doing, you’re handing your power over to anyone who contacts you with an urgent need at any time.  

And Here’s the Thing

When what you do isn’t connected to your purpose in life?  When you’re just busy being busy?  

You don’t really do anything well.  

You just get things done, and you get them done fast!  But that doesn’t mean they’re done well.  

You’re not truly helping anyone.  

How Do I Know If That’s Me?

Here are a few signs you’re addicted to activity:

  

1) Working tons of hours; and being unable to work fewer hours when you try

2) Giving up important social activities to work more

3) Staying connected to the office instead of focusing on friends & family when spending time with them (crackberry, anyone?)

4) Going at too fast a pace; and not knowing what to do with yourself when you’re not running at full speed ahead

5) Giving up personal time

6) Losing the ability to enjoy the present moment

7) Having no idea what your purpose in life is, what you’re passionate about, or why you're doing the things you're doing

But I’ll Be Aimless if I Give Up All That Activity

People driven by activity often have a belief that if they stop, they’ll become lazy.  They think ‘living in the moment’ means that nothing matters.  They think it means ‘giving up.’  

Nothing could be further than the truth.

When you find your purpose, you are still active.  

But rather than trying to squeeze everything into the five minutes you’ve got to spare, you know what to say ‘yes’ to and what to say ‘no’ to.  

You know what activities are truly important, so you know where to spend your time.  

There is a deeper connection and meaning to everything you do.  

And there’s a sense of peace.

Where Do You Fall?

Are you so active that you have forgotten why you do what you do?

Have you given any thought to why you’re doing what you do?

Are you trying to control time by doing things faster?

Or are do you have a sense of direction and passion?  

Do you know what your purpose is?

All the best!

deb

P.S.  Do you know where you want to be in 5 years?  Do you know what your values are and you living in line with them?  Do you want to enhance your creativity or live a more creative, fulfilling life?  If you need help in those areas, see what changes people have experienced and what they're saying about this telecourse.  Space is limited and registration ends Friday, July 31 - so sign up today. 

Comments

[Grace]

This is so, so true!

I think it's important to recognize that the addiction to adrenaline isn't just mental or emotional, though. Adrenaline is a powerful hormone - and the physical response to it is often something that people crave.

And it's something that can take some time to come down off of - time often spent sleeping a LOT and wondering why you feel so exhausted.

In the end, it's so much more rewarding, fun, joyful, peaceful, creative - all that good stuff! - to live from inspiration instead of adrenaline. But it can require a lot of focus and support to get to that place!

[anandp]

You keep stealing these ideas from my mind. might slap on a tin hat soon

great as ever.

blog on

anandp