005 | BENEFICIAL DISTRACTIONS

A SMALL BREAK ISN’T A BAD THING, UNLESS IT NEGATIVELY AFFECTS YOUR END GOAL.

Burning out is something that everyone may come across when dealing with something they love. So this means it is ideal to find something on the side to keep your mind busy while providing a sort of escape.

However, picking the wrong way to spend your time could hurt your chances of attaining the success you seek. Too much of anything is a bad thing. We often hear famous people talking about, “I don’t get tired” or “Study while others are sleeping”. While these are inspirational, they don’t exactly work for the average person.

Think of it this way. If the goal is to fill up a glass of water, you wouldn’t do anything to make that process harder than it is. You wouldn’t purposely knock the glass on its side, drill holes in the bottom or turn off the water source. However, this is what some of us often do unknowingly.

So for someone looking to be a professional athlete, there is only so much training one’s body can take. The normal schedule would consist of team practice, weights, personal training, and film study. This can be pretty intense and could cause the candle to burn from both ends. Naturally, you could take a break with reading, Netflix, social gatherings, friends/family, or any of the other countless ways to pass time. These are things that in moderation will not hinder you from finishing the line. Now, pick some other stuff such as long nights out or stuffing your face with junk food and you can see how these would immediately lower your percentage for success. These are things that would hurt recovery time, fitness levels, and overall focus.

Now, don’t get me wrong. We all know a couple of people who can eat whatever they want and not gain weight, or pay zero attention in class yet answer every question right. These people are rare. The key is finding what works for you. This may come from trial and error, but as long as you can see what works with your situation, you should be better off.

Dreams are important because they give us something to strive for and provide a purpose to our everyday tasks. So when coming across a decision on how to spend your free time, it is important to keep that destination in mind. It is easier said than done, but anything worth sacrificing for will not be easy. Expect people to disagree with your no’s, but if they are truly supportive they will understand and not hold it against you.