Distractions

That which does not serve a desired end purpose must be swiftly and unapologetically cut out of ones life.

If it is serving a short term purpose, perhaps entertainment, but does not align with any possible end goal, it must be cut.

Distractions are not good and not bad. They can be useful indicators.

For me video games can be such a distraction when I turn to them in response to stress. They aren’t all bad however. Some games such as “Detroit — Become Human” has inspired my way of thinking about AI, robotics, and the future of certain cities. Skyrim demonstrated the feeling of awe in exportation to me. Mario Galaxy brought me into the wondrous mindset of child.

However if I spend too long in them, I cross the line from exploration into escapism. That is where problems start.

Things that appear useful can also be a distraction.

I’ve recently had the idea of learning an instrument and purchased one on Amazon. I fooled around with it but quickly realized that my interest in it wasn’t genuine and not linked to any goal, other than maybe looking cool and emulating a person I’ve admired. For me, this was a waste of time.

Even a practice such as daily reading or meditation can become a distraction if done mindlessly. Reading is a waste of time if it is done to check off books from a list. Meditation is a waste of time if its to satisfy an app’s requirement.

Absolutely anything, especially the “good” stuff, can become a wasteful distraction.