I can see how someone would think this describes my dog.
They have excessively high prey drive and are excessively exuberant. This level of energy often spans into adulthood. They can be destructive and develop bad behaviors if not given enough stimulation and exercise. This often causes problems for others who are not familiar with such a breed.
That’s not my dog. That’s me.
For years I thought something was wrong with me. I’d sit in a meeting that meant nothing and my skin would start to crawl. I’d spend a weekend doing what everyone said was supposed to be relaxing, and by Sunday night I felt worse than I did on Friday.
I tried to be the guy who was happy with the pool in the backyard and the 9 to 5, but every day felt like being in a Lamborghini stuck in bumper to bumper traffic.
I’d lie awake at 2 AM, not because I was worried, but because nothing I did that day was aligned with who I was or where I was supposed to be going. It was like having one foot on the gas and the other on the break.
I went all in on the fixes. The meditation. The medications. The vacations. The alcohol. The gratitude. The men’s group at church. None of it worked.
It turns out that you just can’t medicate the purposes and passions out of a man.
When I got a Belgian Malinois from famous SEAL dog trainer and former teammate of mine, Mike Ritland, everyone said the same thing. “That breed is nuts. You’re in for trouble.”
I knew the breed was intense. That’s why I got her. She was there to protect the family, and that requires a little bit of intense nuttiness. But the warnings had me worried, so I reached out to a professional dog trainer for advice.
It turns out that the horror stories about the breed came from people who were not providing their dogs with enough of the exercise or intellectual stimulation they were bred for. She simply explained that there was nothing wrong with these dogs. “It’s simply because of the way she was bred.” That phrase has stuck with me ever since.
Again. That’s not just my dog. That was me too.
Here are the problems “my type” of dog was reported to have when bored or understimulated: anxiety, depression, restlessness, short temperedness, excessive nighttime activity. A bored Malinois eats your drywall. A bored man eats himself alive with resentment. The trainer wasn’t just talking about the dog. She was describing the architecture of my own brain.
For the first time in 40 years, I didn’t feel broken. I felt dangerous. It wasn’t that the dog was crazy, defective, or bred to be bored. She required more exercise, stimulation and purpose than others simply because she was bred that way.
That moment changed everything for me and launched me into levels of success that no teacher I ever had would have expected. In fact, one told me I would absolutely go nowhere as I was getting kicked out of high school. But I was ‘bred’ to hunt, solve life and death problems, live within my passion and protect those around me.
And yet the world I lived in had been engineered to keep me still. Sit at the desk. Stare at the screen. Answer the phone. Return the email. Medicate the restlessness. Numb the drive. Call it balance.
They try to turn a predator into a pet and then act surprised when the soul starts to rot.
That’s not balance. That’s a cage. And every man sitting in one is slowly losing the things that make him dangerous in the best sense of the word. His energy. His edge. His sense of purpose. Society doesn’t just fail to engage men like us. It actively punishes the traits we were built with and then calls the fallout a mental health crisis.
Or even worse, it takes that natural, protective drive and mislabels it as toxic simply because they don’t know how to handle a dog that wasn’t meant to sit on a couch.
When I’m not operating at the level I was built for, I feel like my soul is crawling out of me. And I’ve watched enough men go through the same thing to know it’s not a condition. It’s a signal. Your body telling you that you are not living the life you were bred to live.
So I stopped calling it a problem and started nurturing, caring for, and deploying it as my authentic self. My true breed. I rejected the sedentary mold and started designing a life around the way I was actually built. Active. Engaged. Purposeful. Intellectually challenged and operating within my passion every single day.
My dog gets anxious when she doesn’t train. So do I. The difference is nobody tries to convince her that something is wrong with her for needing it.
Eric
Responses
I completely identify with this analogy… except for the pissing on the carpet trait. I don’t do that. ; )
Haa – I totally forgot I had written that part. It’s a sort of metaphor – allegory maybe? – for the things we do to mess up our own circumstance. Love it.
When I’m not active enough I’m short with my wife and kids. It’s not that I want to be short it’s just I am and that’s not fair to them, that’s on me. Lack of activity also affects focus at work. In sales I need that clarity to respond quickly and be on point in every interaction because money is always on the line. This article absolutely makes perfect sense to me and I appreciate you posting it.
Drew,
I hear that. I myself can be a complete prick at home if I’m not paying attention to my activity level.
I’ve found that exercise and activity are essential like sleep and food. Looking forward to the next steps.
Hi Eric,
I saw your forward for self-assessment, to determine if I am a good fit for your program. Here are my answers to your 3 questions:
What happens to you when you’re not active or engaged enough?
Yes to all – Anxiety, Depression, Restlessness, Short temperedness, Excessive night time activities
(much less significant than the others, only occasionally effected).
What other areas of your life are effective by inactivity or lack of intellectual stimulation?
It rubs off on my wife and kids certainly. Not in a severe way but it does impact things. Fortunately my kids are a great age (5 & 7) to keep Dad moving around. My relationships with close buddies also gets effected to some degree.
What prevents you from living the life you were bred to live?
Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. Turning passion into purpose.
Thanks,
Preston
Preston,
Sounds like we’re cut from a similar cloth and have landed in some similar challenges. I think you’ll like some of upcoming content and how it can address some of the fear and turning passion into purpose.
Eric
Eric: Thanks for everything you do. Am also responding the same to others who asked me for a survey. Simple. All good things. I guess I do not need to re-validate what I or any other people see in you. To be honest, I continue following you as well as my Coach SGPT, Mark Divines sites/learnings, Don @ Extreme Seals Experience, and many other is because I believe. Any person can label me as they like. I am what I am and I do like what I am. And I am part of this. The why is because I Trust in what I believe. And I believe in you all. I see a lot of Great Positive Value to Societies and Future Generations. And we know our Purposes, this also defines us among other things. Simply put: I trust, I believe, and if you call me to help, I will be with you all. Simple as that. As Remember as Chief said: if they dare to hit, it is simple I knock him/her down to protect our People. Meaanwhile tranquilo, No brainer. Now, we all have both a responsibility and an opportunity for our next generations: spread the message that among many concepts are that the only way is to move and press forward, dedication, Freedom, Teamwork, Unity, being humble, never ever quit, constructive, helping other, and positive attitude all times. Plus many other positive things. As discussed the question is not a question. The only question is Why not ?.
Going out for workout !
yeah.. Hooyah !!
Best, Walter
Btw: … I need more rest after doing some plays with my 20 months old Boy than in say 5+ hour WO !!
… you need to write a Part 2 of your Book..perhaps..how an adolescent SEAL buddy can recover his Dad :) (.. an inverse engineering Hooyahh ! )
Walter,
You’re most welcome and it’s an honor to have thoughtful contributors such as your self on the site. We’ll keep pushing forward for the next generation.
Walter,
So glad you’re here and really appreciate your commitment to the cause. I think people often fall out of work like this because they get too connected to the apathetic culture around them.
More work for all of us to live a good life and lead others to do the same.
Eric
Eduardo,
This all sounds very familar to me! As we hit the elements of life I’ll think you’ll find more space to get these things cared for on a regular basis.
Eric
Eric, I think this perfectly puts a finger on something that I could not pinpoint. Being in that dark place with no purpose felt like that there was no hope. I am not afraid to work hard or to take risk, but I am afraid to be in that place where you felt there was no hope and purpose in my life. I have always felt that I was meant to be something more then what my current surrounding showed me. Understanding the behavioral science is must in order for me to achieve my dream and stay consistent with my direction and focus.
Thank you for your insight.
Jun,
Jun,
You’re most welcome! Yes purpose and a trusted process for achieving said purpose if critical. It’s not always about hard work. Often it’s about strategic and focused work.
In about the 2nd month of the membership you are already in we will be digging much deeper into this.
More to come!
Eric
Hello Eric,
This was an enlightening read. It’s great you have a handle on who you are and what you need to be functionally productive. I can see how such a temperament would be a boon during SEAL training.
At the beginning of your email you said, " It occurred to me that you might have come to our site and signed up for our content more out of curiosity than out of a need or deep desire to excel. I also find my readers are of a different breed than most and the best way I’ve found to make the assessment as to whether or not we’d be a good fit for you is to read this paper."
One of the things that I learned from reading your book, and following you on social media is that you are and always have been an incredibly active person. "I just have more energy than other people," were your words I believe……. followed by your wife’s response, "Ya think?" It was upon this realization that I knew that much of what I would be able to learn from you would need to be distilled and adapted to who I am if I was going to be able to functionally apply it to my life in a positive way.
To be blunt, we are not much alike. Many of your personal qualities I envy because my natural temperament, physiology, upbringing, and conditioning were very different from your own. It seems to me that you are doing your best to make the lessons and strengths of your life available to other in a way supports your current relationships and responsibilities. To that end I can only assume that these emails are essentially advertisements for the program(s) you are offering.
I sought out your book, and books from other SEALs because I, like so many other men in today’s society I am looking for what you gentlemen have: Discipline, purpose, fortitude, never-quit attitude, resourcefulness, organization, specialization, character, commitment to a larger purpose, and most of all…. brotherhood. I did not learn, and was not shown how to have the above qualities, but only to recognize them as beneficial. I need what you have. Right now it could be the difference between ultimate success, or ultimate failure.
To answer your questions:
What happens to you when you’re not active or engaged enough?
Up until the last year I have not had a problem being an active and engaged person. I am a goal oriented person who is motivated by success and achievement as long as they are in areas that I value. Over the last nine years I’ve gotten married, had two kids, finished a Masters Degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, worked full-time for much of my schooling, became a Regional Sales Manager for a Top Ten nutrition bar company and pushed my previously saturated region’s sales up by 60% in one year, then got laid-off by new management seeking a different method of market interaction than I provided. I’m not engaged right now for a couple reasons (I won’t promise they’re good ones). I don’t usually fail, and even in this case did not fail, so getting kicked to the curb for doing an outstanding job isn’t something I’ve experienced before. I’m not over it. The larger issue is our current social/political climate, which is new to most Americans under the age of like 90. I grew up trusting our country and it’s leaders, and now we essentially have a political coupe going on with the government breaking the law or ignoring the law and then covering for itself on a daily basis as a matter of policy. The bigger picture makes the smaller context seem fairly unimportant. Personal success is largely dependent upon consistency and dependability of societal/economic/governmental infrastructure. I’m not talking about depending upon the government to do anything but it’s job….. which is to facilitate a republic democracy as defined by the Law that is governed of, by, and for the people. To be succinct: How can I focus on my own problems/goals/plans when it seems our country is being flushed down the toilet at an exponential pace? Stuff is happening so fast, and on such a large scale, that even knowing how to effectively address it as a citizen is very difficult to figure out.
What other areas of your life are effective by inactivity or lack of intellectual stimulation?
Intellectual stimulation is not usually a problem for me. Finding an outlet for social interaction on an intellectual level is more of a challenge. If anything I usually have to turn my brain down a notch to interact normally with other people. It’s difficult to utilize a skill or strength without an appropriate context to utilize it in. Right now I’m just paying attention to what’s going on. Inactivity occurs because I’m just trying to keep track of what’s happening in our country and the world. Things are heating up, and it doesn’t take Top Secret clearance to see that. Physical Inactivity occurs because reading on the internet is not usually done while jogging (of course this can be dealt with).
What prevents you from living the life you were bred to live?
Not knowing what to plan for. You mentioned in your video the PNR. I wonder each day where we are as a country when it comes to that point of reference. It seems to me that SEALs and other very active members are so busy following orders and accomplishing the mission, that their jobs leave them little time to follow or interact with the world around them…. and understandably so. I know there are always retired SEALs who are able to do that if they want to. I see videos of some of them actively participating in politics and writing articles on goings on. What prevents me from just picking a goal and going balls to the wall to accomplish it is that I don’t know what goal to pick at this point to be the most functional. There are many worthy pursuits, but only one that is the most important that I am well-suited for. There is one best goal for my family. I wish I knew what that was. Time is short, it seems. I could write up a laundry list of everything wrong with this country, but I don’t want to seem like a whiner. Regardless, our liabilities as a country are starting to overcome and squelch our virtues. Things are getting BAD. I have a few family and friends that see a little here and little there of what’s going on, but when it boils down to it…. it’s just me making decisions for me and my family. My final decision is the only one that matters when it comes to the welfare and well-being of my family. Should I be building a prepper getaway for the seemingly inevitable sabotage of our power grid and the ensuing chaos? Should I join FEMA to help with that? Join the Navy Reserves or Air Force National Guard? (I’m old – 39) Pack up and leave the country? How do you plan for what’s coming? I don’t have a platoon of close and capable brothers to rely on if stuff gets ugly. Embrace the chaos? I don’t know.
You suggested we share our answers to, "To make our content and courses more potent." So there you go. I was thinking about this stuff before I read your book and watched the video. I am looking for solutions, and SEALs seem like the place to go for unconventional thought, strategy, planning, and problem solving – let alone patriotism.
We need you guys. America needs what you have. We haven’t had Fathers "Raising Men" the way they used to in over 50 years. It’s likely part of the problem in this country. So here I am participating. I’m paying attention to what you and your brothers say. I’m doing it because I need to grow by necessity and for the benefit of my family (at the least) and my country (at the most). Any feedback you can give would be much appreciated.
Thank you Sir,
John Bollwerk
mGwbd@hotmail.com
John,
A lot of great thinking here. One of the things that really stood out for me is your question about not being sure what "Goal" to pursue. The philosopher Kierkegaard calls this "Getting Lost In The Infinite" – meaning that there are so many things to chose from that we can get stuck choosing none.
Personally I spent a few years in that space, but I see it as an example of how seriously I take life.
The answer ended up being for me to study all elements of life, make a map of them, assess them and take action on them in order. This practice has driven my goals, objectives and promises ever since. This is something we hit extensively in our membership process. When the time is right you might want to check that out.
Eric
That was refreshing, I thought I was going crazy.
For me personally work had been a passion of mine but also my area that lacks stimulation.
I tend to get bored with jobs lately, which leads to a depressed feeling that seems to bring the other elements of my life down as well. I find myself not hitting the gym as often and just being less energized.
Not sure my answer to living the life I was bred to live makes sense but I would have to say a passion for what I am doing is a definite hurdle.
Cory,
I’ve found that any and every job will get boring if given enough time. Hell I was bored as a SEAL many times.
For me those are the times that I shift my focus to other domains in my life. As a member you’ll be getting some serious exposure and situational awareness as to what life is really made up of. There are so many things that need our attention that if one domain is a bit boring for a while you’ll be glad to turn your attention to another.
Much more to come!
Thanks for this. Yes, this completely resonates. On top of having been raised to be "lady-like" – sit at the dinner table and discuss current events, sit after dinner (with your ankles crossed) and discuss family events, sit through various different endless culturally performances, sit at your desk and get good grades, sit, sit, sit. The only time you stand is when you are standing at a party with a drink in your hand.
So when you ask what happens when I’m not active or engaged enough, I would have to say – who knows? I don’t have much to contrast it with. Except the fews times I have been allowed to roam free, I’ve known that was what felt right.
What prevents you from living the life you were went to? Hmmm. Working on that one. Despite being very hard charing and extremely well organized, I still find all the must-do’s (paperwork, email, housework, making small talk with elderly relatives, etc.) seems to take up the whole day. I’ve slowly carved out enough time to spar twice a week, which has been a wonderful breath of fresh air. But to get there, I’ve had to get rid of a lot of social commitments, which is not a bad thing. It just feels like keeping all those other parts of life going is a full time job.
Thanks for writing this. At least I know why I’m a dog person – solve problems, play, protect, repeat.
Rachel,
So much of what we spend time on falls into the category of "Cultural Norms". I’ve found that success most always requires us to break from those traditions.
I also believe that a certain amount of selfishness is required to get us going. I try to look at life as a long game. This helps me settle into the idea that I may have to be selfish with my time today so that I can truly care for people tomorrow.
Much more to come!
Eric
I was so bored I went totally self destructive on myself and almost lost my marriage and family with porn, affairs and drugs. I get so depressed and anxious being bored. I bore easily. It affects my mood and makes me negative and depressed which creates a bad cycle in my personal and professional relationships. If I don’t train I go nuts and even that gets boring without getting jacked on pre workouts. What keeps me from living a different life? Responsibilities, providing for my family. Everyone says do what you love, what’s your passion? Ive been catatonic and in rat race so long I don’t even know what that would be. I need something extreme to help my find my core and a vision besides paying off debt, home etc.. I need a passion and vision for my life. I had it once but that dream died a long time ago and honestly I can’t let it go and find a new one.
CJM,
Love the candor and I think many people can relate to what you’ve felt, and are feeling. I find "Rhythms" in life help me tremendously with all of this. Rhythms in my day, week, month and year. Their like a schedule of activity that keeps me at my best. Keeping up with them is key for me as well. Meaning I need to be in them before I need them if that makes sense.
Eric
Wow one of the best articles I’ve ever read about myself!! Now I know why I struggled in school. Sometimes I also get bored with my career even though it’s a passion of mine. I find that I have to take some kind of life experience trip once a month in order to stay on target in life. Thanks Eric.
Lauri,
Glad it resonated. Yes! I find regular activities that are timed just right are the answer. I call them "Rhythms." I’ve gotta have daily, weekly, monthly and yearly ones to stay me.
I read this a while back my friend and shared it all over social media. I was the "trouble maker" in class and now that I’m confined to a desk 10 hours a day I’m starting to get restless. People around me don’t understand – you have a good job why are you unhappy. I even see this in my young son. He acts up a fair bit. Easy fix. Give him a task, an outlet. He’s golden. I loved this – as well as the book. I’ve been enjoying the random unexpected emails. Keep them coming. See you around the mastermind groups.
Glad it resonates! A good job, as you know, is only a single piece of the puzzle.
Eric
I read this and laughed, but it fits so well. I have two working dogs a malingator and a dutch shepherd mal cross. I work both of them and when I don’t they certainly find things to do. What I liked though is that I can finally give words to something and it isn’t labeled as some sort of condition. ( I am a psychologist) My entire life I have moved from job to job spending any where from 3 years to 6 years in each spot. I really am good for 3 years, I ll come in early, work late…. and after 3 years (ish) I am bored to tears. If I stay too long I get into trouble and I feel like it is sucking the life out of me. I even did college and graduate school in increments … I broke up my undergrad by joining the Marines and graduate school I did inbetween jobs. I haven’t found that one thing to do …. lol… I even do personal training, teach yoga classes…. train dogs…. horses…. what is that they say ? Jack of all trades, master of none…. except I have mastered a handful of things …. I needed to find something else to keep my attention and interest. If I could pick one thing one, thread that I always find myself coming back to is teaching. I have been teaching in some way shape or form since I first had a job in high school as a life guard and swim instructor. Nothing beats seeing people ‘get it.’ Interestingly enough I really didn’t figure that out until I got my first horse as a yearling and learned how to train him, I went from horses to working dogs, k-9s, and protection/detection dogs and found that my dogs trained me. My dogs make me look exceptionally smart, lol. I thank them every day, even when they find trouble ;-)
This sounds like my little boy to a T and a little bit like me. As a desk dweller I don’t have the same level of physical energy as I used to by my mind and body still scream to get out and do something with purpose. Something to satiate my mind, as much my body. I find myself up all night on days when I feel like my mind’s and body’s desires haven’t been met. I think a lot of people are that way and look for that missing "thing" by spending hours staring at their screens instead of just living and getting out in the real world.
Knowing how I feel and after reading Eric’s book and another one of his SEAL buddies books by Brandon Webb it gives me incite to my little boy and how to help him. I don’t call it a condition or a "problem" and I certainly don’t think it’s something I need to fix. I feel as a father it’s my job to lead by example and to help meet my little boys mental and physical needs to accomplish something meaningful.
My favorite advice from Eric’s book: It’s never too late and never quit.
Love it Sam.
It’s all about tuning your mind and body through daily practices. Tune it until it feels patience, kindness, joy and peace.
Then, of course, lead others to do the same!
Thanks Eric; great article!
When I am not active or engaged adequately maladaptive behaviours come out. My ability to parent declines significantly from inactivity and lack of intellectual stimulation. What prevents me from living the life I was bred to live? I take full ownership. Not to say there are not exterior factors that wear at resolve, but if they are equated as determinants your battle is lost.
1) I become angry, bored, and take it out on my family.
2) Work, spirituality, purpose
3) Right now I would say it is the debt we are in. I am willing to get another job that would satisfy me intellectually and give me purpose, but I know that will result in lower pay and a worse financial situation with our debt.
I don’t know if I fit into the dog analogy. As I started to think more on this the best analogy I can come up with is like a fire. Something will "spark" my interest and then I’m off like a Forrest fire, consuming everything I can about the subject or activity. (It actually consumes me). This might last one full day or a few months but then as quickly as it started my focus or interest in it will end. There is still a small burning ember that will come back to life later but for the most part I have moved on to another wood pile consuming it. I can do this with everything that interests me. It can cause me to be unproductive in other areas of my life. Then when that happens I get upset with myself or stressed out.
Hello Eric,
When I don’t have the intellectual stimulation I float through days going through the routine of the daily events and responsibilities. I lose interest in what I am doing at home and at work. The active life I had earlier disappeared as I became a father. The thought process of sacrificing your time for your family is a strong force. The mindset that you present that a person becomes a better you to your family when you are living a fulfilled or a good life is something that few sons learn from their fathers.
I know that I prevent myself from living the life I was bred to live. Yes, there are obstacles, attitudes, and problems that distract or disrupt my life. However, I have less focus on my purpose at work and life. I have become the drifting ship you describe.
I look forward to reading your future writings.
Respectfully,
Will
I get extremely restless, agitated, and bored. It literally feels like time crawls by when this happens.
All areas of my life suffer when I am inactive or lack intellectual stimulation. It’s hard to be present anywhere when these two non-negotiables have not been met.
I realize that it is a process and that I am on my way to living the life I was meant to live. If I knew of a way to do it right now then I would.
When I’m bored, I tend to overeat, over think and continue to spiral down into a borderline comatose existence. I watch more TV, I sit around more, and I become less and less inclined to be active and alert.
I would say most of my life is impacted. I can end up with fuzzy thinking, which then makes me snippy which them impacts my relationships. My lack of a desire to get up and out of the house means that my brotherhood/sisterhood suffers.
I think what prevents me is just how easy it is to be lazy. It’s much easier to get mild mental stimulation from TV than to get maximum stimulation from nature. Gear might impact this as well, not having the right gear to make getting up and out in any weather comfortable and enjoyable. All things that can be overcome with a little effort.
The human body… if you don’t use it. You lose it.
I found this out the hard way by gaining more. More time. More freedom. More “me time”.
To use your words… but modified…
“A bored me is a dangerous me.”
Me time can’t be a nap or a beer and tv. It needs to be active time or time with others… in other words… time well spent.
What happens to you when you’re not active or engaged enough?
I think the easiest correlation to what happens to me is that I become Sisyphus pushing the boulder he is forever attached to. When I am moving I feel I am making strides and fell better about my accomplishments for that day. When I’m inactive, I feel the extra strain it takes to get moving once again. This makes it hard to make myself move and sometimes I fail at it, but try the next time to do better.
What other areas of your life are effective by inactivity or lack of intellectual stimulation?
All areas of my life are affected – I’m sure my family sees it and feel my frustration. My wife has, on many occasions, told me to get up and do something when all I’m doing is sitting in front of the moron motivator. My inactivity and lack of engagement with my family also does not give my kids (adults now) a good example of living a good life. My work suffers due to my being tired all the time from inactivity and any joy in my life is minuscule.
What prevents you from living the life you were bred to live?
The ease and attainability of things that keep my attention – TV, internet, social media: and of course myself. I am completely responsible for what I do and the choices I make so have to say it is me that prevents a happy life.
New Years Day or 2013 I was shot while on duty I can remember, during my convalescence time at home, being bored out of my skull and wanting to be active but wasn’t able to. Its hard to fathom how I can so easily go from this mind set to one that is not active and not engaged with my family and friends. I understand there are times that inactivity is good – done in the right way: fishing, camping, watching a movie; however, when that exceeds the normal (expected) amount of time it is unhealthy and unnoticed. This is when Sisyphus has to start pushing hard again.
Always enjoy the tidbits and ideas Eric. Thank you.
Mike Slattery
What happens to you when you’re not active or engaged enough?
I tend to get lazy, depressed, irritable and sedentary…
What other areas of your life are affected by inactivity or lack of intellectual stimulation?
My work and my interaction and activity level w/ the family suffers greatly.
What prevents you from living the life you were bred to live?
Me
I’m happy to say, I’ve managed to keep active 3-4 sessions per week for much of my life. Perhaps it was a necessary outlet I unconsciously recognized early on?
Today however, I do search for more excitement then just hitting the gym, pool or bike.
I seek more adventure than just physical activity. A return to surfing, the anticipated thrill of sky diving, rock repelling, tactical shooting ranges & skeet shooting; even go cart racing are all on my To Do list.
After a recent hike to 3400 ft. my daughter commented how it’s great I can complete this trek…"at my age". I had to ask myself, is 59 old? I saw a video a few years back of a guy, 78, crossing the finish line of the Boston Marathon. He’s my motivation.
Now, I look to correcting my professional/work activities to make all these activities happen.
Tom
I can completely relate to your dog. My mom used to tell me "An idle mind is the Devil’s playground". It took me years to realize this but many times when we are bored we become self-destructive. I need a challenge and things to stimulate me and keep me busy.
What happens to you when you’re not active or engaged enough?
I will get scattered if I don’t remind myself whatever short-term boredom is just a bump in the road, provided and only provided it is one that I can’t avoid because it is part of my working toward accomplishing a goal with a long time to completion. This noted, I work from home, so I can take exercise breaks and I don’t spend all day studying and reading. I have heard stories of people staying up all night to write two paragraphs, so far, they’ve only been other people’s stories.
What other areas of your life are effected by inactivity or lack of intellectual stimulation?
Activity is crucial to a scholar’s work, as I have learned through experience. At my lowest, I had gotten to a point where I didn’t’ realize my typing speed had dramatically slowed because I had been in my head too long. The rub is I only noticed it, as I marveled how a simple, relatively short walk, had dramatically increased my typing speeds after I got home. Life lessons.
What prevents you from living the life you were bred to live?
I believe to some extent we can overcome our breeding, or at least some of, even if not all of, any subjectively believed-to-be undesirable aspects of our breeding, again, some, but not necessarily all, the trick is to know the differences and figure out how to learn to work with what you’ve got. This said, in some sort of overarching sense, I do believe there is something evil that has made its way into the world, I assume it may be that, that is getting in the way at least in the overarching sense these ilk of questions are often ostensibly phrased to attempt to elicit information in accordance with when posited.
There also seems to be frequent challenges, whether they be born of happenstance or chaos, the inevitable march toward death, …my own idiosyncrasies,… stuff like that, not to mention unknown unknowns, known unknowns albeit less so, sometimes even the known, knowns, – those are most frustrating when for whatever reason I don’t get them right, but so far, they have also provided the most poignant learning environments.
It seems to be there is something to be said for considering the notion of unknown knowns, that is from the perspective of shifting the reasoning a bit to considering known variables, wherein the unknown elements are with respect to when they may present themselves as to timing and or additional variables when perceived to be out of our control. — For example, you may know you live in tornado alley, but not necessarily the path of the tornado or precisely when one may strike. Or that hurricanes are frequent occurrences in your city or town, during "hurricane season" but not necessarily when or how strong they may be as to their occurrence or the degree/amount of devastation that will be wrought from one after it passes through your community.
Unfortunately for me all the bad things come out when im not fully engaged with life. Short tempered, anxious, depressed, jealous the list goes on. I have also often wondered and admired people who can pick a hobby and stick to it… for years… That just seemed crazy to me. I have so many interests and things I want to do I wonder if my lifetime is even going to be enough time for me to experience them all. Learning to fly (STOL planes), sky diving, climbing, rappelling, snowmobiling, dirt biking, destination backpacking, spear fishing, power para gliding, pack trips, elk hunting I can keep going for days! I will just embrace this wild life of mine and live it to the fullest and not care what anyone else thinks!
What happens to you when you’re not active or engaged enough? My spirit dwindles like a flame of a candle burning out!
What other areas of your life are effective by inactivity or lack of intellectual stimulation? Everything in the flow state. Sleep, mental, health, finance, family, flow.
What prevents you from living the life you were bred to live? Consistency !
When I’m not active & physically engaged, the main effect on me is only physical degeneration now. My main focus these last few years has been spiritual, and those practices have changed me. My spiritual friend and I were talking about how so many people are taking to drinking, dope, becoming depressed and some even committing suicide during this lockdown, but both of us are very peaceful and content just sitting. When meditation flows out into your daily life, your mind gets really quiet, and it no longer demands to always be engaged and stimulated. I still love doing all that active stuff, but honestly I don’t share the need to do it to feel OK. I no longer need so much intellectual stimulation for the same reason. But what’s cook is that, when I need to engage the mind or the body for a purpose, I’m able to. Then after that ‘thing’ is done, I can go quiet inside again. Its actually really nice to be peaceful for no reason at all.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jul/19/change-your-life-sit-down-and-think
Lately I have been not wanting to get up in the morning. I took on a job..love the work hate the place i work for. Am bored each day because I went from being active as a runner and triathlete to more sedentary and feel so dumbed down!! Feel like I am also a critical thinker as well and enjoy research and reading but can’t share this with the sheeple out there now! the political climate and social climate seems to reward the fat and sedentary people who are merely existing and wearing masks all the time. But are no happy but are really good at pretending!! and they look at me like I am nuts, shun me which has happened all of my life and continues to this day!! I am bored, unhappy, depressed and seem to be still searching for some way to connect with people and find the work I was meant to do!! still hanging in there but its getting tougher for me each day!
What happens to you when you’re not active or engaged enough?-I get bored and eat or surf on social media. Re-examine my life and get paranoid about the long list of to do’s I have but can’t find the energy or motivation to do so.
What other areas of your life are effective by inactivity or lack of intellectual stimulation? well my physical health for one, and it just perpetuates. If I blow a day or an afternoon, I feel ashamed of myself. Perhaps not so ashamed I won’t do it again though.
What prevents you from living the life you were bred to live? my fear of running out of money, not performing up to what I believe other people expect of me. I’m in a very competitive sales business for high dollar real estate and I get or used to get great enjoyment out of these successes. However, its lost its luster for me. I no longer get out of bed like a rabid dog trying to go get the next deal. I’ve become complacent.
I get depressed (and frustrated).
This impacts my: Sleep, Physical Health, Spiritual Wellbeing, Tribe, Career, Fun / Flow (Pleasure in Life).
I engage in low budget, less enjoyable activities because I have a pervasive belief that I can not afford to "waste money" on fun. Especially when that money "should" go to other things: Health Care Expenses, Continuing Career Education, etc.
What I’m learning in Eric’s course is that I can’t afford not to engage in new, enjoyable, healthy activities. Activities that maintain my interest and peak my curiosity.
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