Don’t fear it. Get obsessed!
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The first time I heard the word ‘obsessed’ it sounded negative to me. When some people hear that word, the next thing that pops out is:
Hey, you need to take things easy.
Don’t be a nerd, give yourself a break.
Always try and maintain a balance . . .
But guess what?
There is absolutely nothing wrong about being obsessed. To be obsessed simply means to have something continually preoccupy your mind for a period of time.
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Have you ever gotten so hungry that all you can do was to imagine yourself eating?
That was an obsession.
It becomes not just a hobby, but a passion you can’t do without.
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When you get obsessed about something, you want to do everything within your power to achieve that thing. Obsession is what manifests as passion, and it is one trait every successful man has.
There are so many men out there with a million hobbies who are very far from being called successful. That is why I no longer believe in ‘just do what you love’ as the path to success.
I love watching movies.
I love spending 6 hours a day on social media.
Are these things and other hobbies going to make me successful or even rich? Absolutely not!
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Since I really want to be a successful person, this basically leaves me with two options.
First one is to spend my waking moments doing the things I am passionate about. The second logical option is to become passionate about my hobbies.
How do I do that?
Push beyond limits. Give deadlines. Take it as a full time job. Simply make it a task.
Making it a task leaves no room for procrastination. It becomes not just a hobby, but a passion you can’t do without.
Probably you’re wondering why you should be obsessed with that “good hobby”. I’ve listed four main reasons why you should.
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Hobbies pay peanuts; being obsessed pays a whole lot.
Obsession forces you to think. Thinking makes you discover innovative ideas.
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I know that there are lots of super successful rich men out there who made their money by doing what they love. I agree, but you are missing the whole point. They became very passionate about these hobbies before the money came.
The biggest night club in my city is a few blocks away from my apartment. The owner, Andy, rakes in thousands of dollars as turnover every day.
Partying may be his hobby, but he became passionate about it too.
That is why he has bouncers at the gate of his club. That is why he can stay there all night supervising things. It’s not just a hobby for him, he is obsessed about it. And that is why he is successful and making all that money.
Obsession forces you to think. Thinking makes you discover innovative ideas. These ideas are what will give you the success you desire.
The bottom line is — Stop running your business as if it is a hobby; get obsessed about it.
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Hobbies welcome distractions; being obsessed keeps you focused until you deliver.
I started writing online in 2009. It was a hobby for me. I could afford to write at my own convenience. While writing, I could pick my calls, chat and even have conversations with my friends. It didn’t really matter to me. It was just a hobby, and I didn’t have plans to make a career out of it.
When you’re obsessed with anything, distraction becomes a nuisance.
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Right now, the story is different. When I go to my office, I make sure that I don’t get disturbed. I kick distractions far away. Chatting is a no-no for me. So are calls and texts. Unless they seem urgent, I don’t pick or respond.
Why?
It’s because writing is no longer a hobby, it is now a career I am obsessed with.
You can’t pursue an obsession whenever it’s convenient. You cannot be easily distracted when you’re obsessed. That’s because when you’re obsessed with anything, distraction becomes a nuisance.
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Obsession makes you come alive.
When you are obsessed about something, everything about you comes alive. You feel as if you are on fire. You could go on and on without getting tired. It can make you forget that you haven’t taken breakfast until evening.
When you see people who say they make a living doing what they love, and they don’t feel like they are working — they are dangerously obsessed. Those chaps can put in 12 straight hours on a job without blinking an eye.
When you are obsessed, success stops being an option and rather becomes the “only option”.
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I know a business man who is into event management. When he gets a contract, he stays awake on site till the job is done. He has a lot of staff working for him, but he refuses to ‘take things easy’. He stays there with them from morning to night and till the following morning.
Even when his employees retire for the night, he still stays awake. He inspects the whole job and ensures that everything is up to the standard that he is known for.
That is definitely obsession at work; it makes you go the extra mile.
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Obsession fuels your persistence.
I run a co-run a blog with a friend of mine. Both of us have done a couple of “hobby” businesses in the past that failed woefully.
However, when we started our blog, I told him that I was so determined to make it a hit. I meant every word I said.
That’s because writing had become my obsession and I was determined to make it work.
When you are obsessed, success stops being an option and rather becomes the “only option”.
Make that hobby your passion. Be obsessed with it and determine to make it a success. And it will.
If you doubt it, ask Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook; Bill Gates and Paul Allen of Microsoft. Their obsessions with computer brought them to the great heights they’re presently on.
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Photo: Getty Images
Hi Good Men Project!
What a beautiful website. My name is Aaron and I run cleanhusband.com, a blog devoted to finding the masculine and feminine balance within oneself, and respecting ourselves and our partners by taking responsibility for our health.
I’m enraptured by the mission of this website as it is a topic so near and dear to me. Please check out cleanhusband.com and leave some comments if you feel so inclined.
Thank you for your amazing work!