When I get interested in something, I like to binge. Whatever it is consumes the vast majority of my thoughts, my time, and my conversations.
In my adult life - the first one was (online) poker, then bitcoin, then a SaaS business, then learning to fly and getting my instrument rating, and now it’s nostr.
It works for me because in between obsessions I take long breaks but at times it drives #[0] crazy.
How about you? Are you more focused on balance or do you obsess like me?
Obsessive here. 👋
I obsess! I also played online poker ♦️
I am the same way when into something, I really get into it. Then eventually move on to the next thing.
Piloting was one of mine as well. No instrument rating however.
Can confirm I am the exact same.
Obsessive. Planes first, now I fly helicopters, too. Flying as much as I can to get a mountain rating here in 🇨🇭
I think most pilots are obsessive. Helicopter pilots are crazy. 😂
I am a binger.
Same. I get bored, which either drives obsession or eventually finds another outlet.
Obsession is a good life hack for success.. if you can manage it.
Thanks #[1] for your understanding 😆
🤣 I understand it, too - I just try to stick to shorter cycles. If I’m working on something I’m like a dog with a bone… but I’ve learned that if I don’t let it go in the evenings or weekends, I burn out. Supporting multiple clients and having a wide range of responsibilities has changed this for me a lot, too. I have to practice letting go and setting boundaries or I end up not being successful at anything.
Yep. Boundaries help.
Not boasting in any way, but multiple times I’ve worked until my brain frys and I start to mumble/slur words while speaking, and I literally can’t understand or respond to questions above a certain level of complexity - that are normally fairly easy.
Takes many weeks to get there and back out even months.. but the combination of coffee, long hours, intensity of work, obsession, and single focus all can really burn you out.
I never would have imagined pushing until those limits , or how a brain can literally fry.. like overheat and partiality shut down. But I guess I’ve learned my limits better, and how to manage them - was entirely my doing each time.
Don’t recommend doing it unless you’re trying to find limits, ha. Life > Work.
I’ve definitely been there. There are times when my brain cannot even grasp for words. I’ll be thinking spoon and can only come up with fork or knife. It just doesn’t work. Language is the piece that seems to disconnect first for me. Interesting that it seems to be the same for you.
And if it keeps getting pushed further with questions or problems it literally hurts. This has gotten worse as I’ve gotten older 🫠 and I’ve also come to the belief that no problem is worth getting into that state. When I’m close, I just have to say no. And when you’re working and living with others who have different levels of responsibilities and are on different binge cycles, it’s really important to set and respect those boundaries, IMO.
Yep 👍. I try to help people I lead/mentor not to copy what I did, and adjust things earlier. It’s nice to push yourself, but I’d rather do that be up a mountainside than employment.
Staring into space (which I rarely do normally) and slurring are the first major signs for me. The catch is that’s already far in. Maybe an earlier sign is my thoughts haunt me in the shower.. I can’t escape planning or designing stuff even while bathing and without technology. Lol.
And the other funny thing is when I’m coming out of it, 2/3 weeks later I kind of feel normal… however at the time I don’t realise I’m still half or more burnt out still. It’s only maybe 3-6 weeks later I realise, what felt like normal; that first three weeks was a false normal - my baseline gets so broken I completely lose reference.
I made my employer a lot of money.. and drove extremely successful outcomes.. but really the cost didn’t translate into financial or much else success in the end. Should have locked in a % cut 😅
ALL OF THIS 👆
Probably a character trait common among engineers. A tendency to be fascinated by things we don't fully understand, explore them in depth, then move to the next thing. ♥️
im an obsesser for sure
Balance. ⚖️ I’m more a slow and steady pace person. Emphasis on slow! 😂 no rush and enjoy it all. 6 sigma is my current focus.
Obsession. All of the time.
I’m clearly the minority here 🙃 I used to be a binger. It ultimately doesn’t support my current goals. I have a lot of responsibilities to juggle, and I can’t support all of them if I give into the instinct to binge 🤷🏻♀️ I time box my binges these days.
