When we think of obsessions, we tend to think of the negative aspects of extreme behaviour such as Caroline’s. It has even been said that every obsession is, at its core, a coping strategy for fending off anxiety.
However, some psychologists have argued that ‘productive obsessing’, or immersing yourself wholeheartedly in a project, can be not only an antidote to boredom and passivity, but also the recipe to a successful and meaningful life.
‘Obsessions with people, or irrational beliefs such as those held by obsessive compulsive sufferers, can be unhealthy or even dangerous,’ says Dr Eric Maisel, author of The Van Gogh Blues and leading creativity coach in the U.S., who has written about the topic in a recent edition of Psychology Today.
‘However, we firmly believe that doing things by half - merely dabbling in a hobby or professional endeavour - produces sad human beings.
‘It’s dangerous to feel as though you aren't making a meaningful contribution. We don’t want you to look at yourself in the mirror and see a person who might have done this, but didn’t; or who loves that but, for some reason, takes no active interest in it.
‘To lead a life that makes you proud, you need to get obsessed.’
Though there will be inevitable fatigue, frustration and dips in motivation, he believes people are more able to deal with those side-effects when they are immersed in something stimulating and important. In contrast, those without a passion can end up letting everyday challenges and difficulties get on top of them.
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