Beware of Taking the Bait
You’re swimming peacefully. Then everything changes.
There it is, right in front of you. It’s amazing. It smells delicious. It’s yours for the taking!
You take a bite, just a little taste, you think, and then….
You’re hooked!
Someone has you, and they are reeling you in. You push and pull and thrash, but you can’t get away. You’re done.
That may be the perspective of a newly-caught fish on a summer morning, but it’s too often also a story that we identify with.
Beware of the Subtle Hooks
Every day we are surrounded with opportunities to throw us off our mission. If we aren’t careful, we are soon hooked onto something and getting dragged far away from our purpose:
- News stories designed to pull us in with shock value.
- Friends sharing the latest gossip.
- Video games that make hours disappear.
- Emails that are someone else’s priorities.
- Texts and social media messages that are unimportant, but feel urgent.
Where did the time go?
Each distraction is designed to hook us and pull us away from what really matters. Our productivity depends on how we react to these hooks. Discipline requires you to not take the bait. Goals are reached with focus and determination.
If you’re susceptible to something, and really enjoy it, then schedule it. Give yourself an allotted time for the activity and then move on.
Don’t get hooked in a way that has you sailing farther and farther away from your dreams.
