Obsession.
I can feel you cringe as you read that word. Obsession is seen as such a negative word by most people in today’s society.
An obsession is defined as “an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind.” Whether you’d like to admit it or not, we’re all obsessed with something. For most people, it’s social media, or fantasy football or what the Kardashian’s are doing this week.
I’m obsessed with reaching my full potential. This means that whatever I’m doing, I want to be the very best I can be. Not better than you, but the best that I can personally be. This applies to writing, podcasting, sales, my health, my relationships, etc.
This means that I spend my time doing those things. And reading about how to do those things better. And connecting with people who are great at those things.
This means that I spend my time doing those things. And reading about how to do those things better. And connecting with people who are great at those things.
This also means that I don’t do a lot of things. I don’t go out until 2 am anymore. I don’t watch 12 hours of football every Sunday anymore.
If that’s not your obsession, then that’s cool!
The point isn’t to be like me or anybody else. It’s to be the truest version of yourself.
“Whatever you want go all in and dominate, learn it, eat it, sleep it, breath it and believe it.”
Kobe Bryant tells a great story in The Player’s Tribune about his obsession with Allen Iverson early in his career.
“I swore, from that point on, to approach every matchup as a matter of life and death. No one was going to have that kind of control over my focus ever again. I will choose who I want to target and lock in. I will choose whether or not your goals for the upcoming season compromise where I want to be in 20 years. If they don’t, happy hunting to you. But if they do….I will hunt you obsessively. It’s only natural.”
Would some people see this as too aggressive? Definitely.
But it’s what drove him to be one of the greatest NBA players of all time.
Recently, I was able to interview David Cancel “DC”, CEO of Drift. DC is also the former Chief Product Officer at Hubspot, Author, Podcast Host, and serial SaaS Entrepreneur.
This was truly one of my favorite Millennial Momentum Podcast episodes because DC and I are cut from the same cloth.
The very first question I asked him was about his process of being a “learning machine”.
He says, “yes, it’s my obsession”.
He’s obsessed with learning and improving himself. This comes from reading, writing, connecting with mentors and always keeping learning as the main priority.
My challenge to you: take whatever you’re passionate about and ramp it up to the next level. Become obsessed with it. Improve your skills. Read books about it. Connect with people that are successful at it. Write about how you can become the best at that thing in the world.
It doesn’t matter if the topic is business or yoga or stuffed animals.
Take your passion and go all in.
Doors will open for you. You’ll enjoy the process. You can become a new person.
As James Altucher would say: “choose yourself.”