Obsession Versus Passion

Since I was a kid, I knew I wanted to live a passion filled life. For many years of my life I had been asking the question, “What could I could be passionate about.” I studied passion, meditated on it and still there were no specific answers. I mean, there were a lot of things I was passionate about, but nothing that really moved me to become extraordinary.

I was passionate about traveling, I was passionate about playing music and making art, I was passionate about writing and sharing stories. I was passionate about learning and growing. And so I pursued the things I was passionate about. I pursued them for years and as I grew, I discovered that having passion wasn’t enough for me. I still felt mediocre. Ordinary.

I discovered that if I truly, truly wanted to reach greatness, in any capacity, that passion would get me started, but obsession is what would move me from mediocrity to greatness. I reflected on this idea, and as I did, I experienced resistance. Even fear.

Now I am not a stranger to resistance. I feel it all the time. This time, however, it was different. I wanted to explore the feeling more. I asked myself, why I am feeling resistant to being obsessed with something.

I came to the conclusion that I was programmed into believing obsession is something to avoid, something negative. It meant crossing the line into craziness. To me, it involves a commitment so deep, that it is frightening even to think about.

But in my reflection, I came to understand that the greatest people in history, whether it was in art, sports, or whatever, were obsessed. Bruce Lee, Muhammed Ali, Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Lance Armstrong and countless others…They all took the plunge, where there was no looking back. They had no choice once their mind was made up. They had committed to following their obsession. They had to keep going, until they reached their pinnacle.

So now, rather than just asking myself, what would I like to be passionate about, I dare to ask myself, what could I obsess about. And that is a different game entirely.

What are you obsessed with?

With Love,

Charlie