What’s Your Addiction?
By Bob Moore, CMC, MCC, The Effectiveness Coach®

Word Count:  382 Words
Reading Time:  about 2 minutes

A new Stanford University survey administered to 200 students who have iPhones, confirms Apple's smartphone can be addicting.  The results reveal 15 percent of those surveyed said the iPhone was turning them into a media addict; 30 percent called it a "doorway into the world"; 25 percent found the phone "dangerously alluring" and 41 percent said losing their iPhone would be "a tragedy."

A recent article in a North Carolina newspaper reported a business man and his daughter had both been involved in multiple collisions while texting in their cars. Even with thousands of dollars in increased insurance premiums and hundreds of dollars in traffic fines, there is no indication they intend to modify their behavior. The father, who has a lengthy commute to his widespread business empire, claims the value of his time is too high to give up what he believes is productive use of his drive time.

Most of us realize there is a line between healthy and unhealthy behaviors that are driven by strong desires for results, productivity or boredom.  However, is it possible there are other less obvious addictions in our personal and business lives?   For example, where exactly is the line between ambition and becoming a hopeless workaholic?  When does crossing the line become a positive or a negative?

A definition may be helpful here.  A negative addiction is a detrimental habit--where the benefits are not worth the negative financial, physical and mental costs.  A neutral addiction is a habit in which it is not clear if there are benefits from the activity.

Many of us are creatures of habit which releases our mind to be more creative rather than continually decide how to go though the routine of life.  Ask yourself, “Am I really in control and what are the risks of continuing the behavior without periodic examination? “

Perhaps Socrates had a point when he said, "The unexamined life is not worth living."   However, the circumstances in which he made that statement cost him his life.  Maybe he was addicted to a strong belief in reason and critical thinking.  I leave you to decide for yourself how far you want to go in the pursuit of your vision.  What are you willing to give up and/or risk in order to achieve your dream?

Enthusiastically,

Bob

Bob Moore, CMC®, President
Effectiveness, Inc/The Effectiveness Coach®
Aligning Human Capital with Strategic Objectives
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