I’ve been reading this book called Ex-Heroes by one of my new favorite writers, Peter Clines. In the story one of the most fearsome super heroes has no powers. What she does have is intelligence, beauty, and dedication to her cause. Now these are the sterling qualities that helped Batman be the top bad ass. Of course, he had unimaginable wealth to help his cause, which is something that Stealth didn’t have and it is something I clearly do not have. However, her secret is attainable. Her ‘power’ is the ability to limit distraction and focus on what counts. That is where I often falter. I have a problem. I am addicted to distractions and it is sapping my time and talent.
The overarching addiction is to distractions themselves. Lately I’ve been wallowing in the world of Online Pokemon in an effort to become a decent, if not moderately talented trainer. I’ve found a way to win perhaps 80% of my games with a couple of separate decks. It is an accomplishment I consider low risk and moderate reward. Moderate because the wins give me a brief mental bump but are ultimately meaningless.
I’ve gone through dozens of game addictions as a way to escape from an often cloying reality, but the thing is each moment away from reality is a moment I fall behind in the quest to be a world class author, parent, and athlete. The key is convincing my mind of the truth of this.