This is a guest post from Bamboo Forest
That slice of pizza you’re craving when you’re on a diet isn’t temptation – it’s distraction.
Change your perception of the word “temptation” to what it really is, which is distraction.
Isn’t fulfilling your goal and the outcome of fulfilling your goal more important than giving into distractions whose only intention is to destroy the outcome you so badly want?
You would let distractions get you to act in ways that take you off the path to your greatest fulfillment?
That’s crazy and it’s weak.
What about the distractions of worry, doubt and dwelling on the past?
Do you also let those sabotage you from being who you want to be and creating the outcome you want so badly for your life?
Could you imagine fighting a war and out of the corner of your eye noticing a clown juggling.
Would you put your weapon down and stare at the clown while your fellow soldiers were getting shot at?
NO!
You’d notice it for a second and then would ignore it and carry on with your vital goals.
I advise you react to all distractions designed to thwart you from fulfilling your deepest desires just as you would respond to a clown in the midst of war.
Examples of Being Distracted:
- Feeling worry about being rejected if you approach a girl or guy. The worry is merely a distraction of fulfilling your vital goal of having a girlfriend or boyfriend.
- Feeling temptation to eat a slice of cake that will give you a minute of enjoyment. The temptation is merely a distraction of fulfilling your vital goal of having the body of your dreams.
- Feeling self-consciousness to ask someone to hang out with you. The self-consciousness is merely a distraction to fulfilling your vital goal of having a social life.
Your goals are vital because they bring joy to your life and enrich your life!
Even your fatigue can be a distraction. Are you too tired to go out and do something fun?
Staying in all day or night because you’re tired will ultimately cost you more than partaking in life tired. You might surprise yourself how quickly your energy increases when you’re busy being involved in life.
Are you letting any of these distractions sabotage your goals?
Don’t allow mere distractions to keep you from fulfilling your goals that mean so much to you.
The Cost of Negative Thinking
Even negative thinking can be a distraction. If you incessantly indulge in negative thinking and it’s immobilizing you from taking actions that will enhance your life, you’re allowing the distraction of negative thinking to bump you off the path you want in life.
Don’t.
Another foolish thought is berating yourself for not having taken action on something earlier in life instead of asking yourself what you can do now to improve your life.
Anything that keeps you from taking optimal action is nothing more than a distraction and has nothing to do with temptation.
No distraction is worth throwing away the objective you have for yourself that will so abundantly enrich your life.
Harness all of your resources to move yourself in the direction of your dreams without focusing on distractions and your dreams are what you’ll get.
Bamboo Forest created an online timer that helps you kill procrastination and be more productive with your time and energy.
Image courtest of RichardBH
I like the concept of seeing temptation as a distraction, it changes the dynamic.
When I think of temptation, I think of being drawn towards something. When I think of distraction–it’s more like being pulled away.
Being pulled away from my goals: that’s a way of describing the event that makes me more likely to investigate what’s going on, and maybe change things.
I like how you’ve crystalized the difference between being pulled to something and being pulled away from it.
Indeed, by focusing on how it’s pulling us away from what we actually want, we begin to associate pain to the unhealthy activity… which is what we need to do if we want to stop it.
Hmm.. very interesting way of looking at temptation. What about physical carnal temptations such as an attractive person when you’re already in a relationship? or sex with more than 1 partner?
One has to know their values.
How can one truly be happy if they’re not living in alignment with their values?
So… it really depends on what your values are.
If either of the two scenarios you speak of are against one’s values, then essentially, they are distractions from one living the life of their dreams.
The life that will bring ultimate happiness.
If one is not living in alignment with what they determine is the way they want to live, they will never feel truly content.
True contentment means living in alignment with one’s chosen identity.
Living out of alignment with your chosen identity is the greatest pain.
Therefore, one must be aware of the distractions that come their way. That is, if happiness and contentment are important to them.
“You might surprise yourself how quickly your energy increases when you’re busy being involved in life.” Nicely put and I’ve noticed exactly that too.
like I’ve said to many people all over the blogosphere, I see negativity and positivity in a very different light to everyone else. Sometimes my negativity has been the biggest catalyst and driving force that I’ve used to effect change in my life. The purpose of life is not to not be negative, or to always be positive, it’s to use that negativity in a constructive way when it arises. I use my anger and frustration on court to be a better player…when my heart gets broken it often leads me to making the best decisions about my life.
Negativity can be so painful that it drives us to see things in a new light.
Brilliant post.
A great strategy.
Loved it.
Thank you. Glad you found it helpful.
I gotta admit, I liked this post a lot more than the other guest post of yours I read, the style is a lot more straight-forward and energetic. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed this post.
Thank you Arvind and Bamboo Forest. This message was spot on in timing and assisted me in realizing a current “distraction.” It also reminded me that taking risks, especially when reaching out with good intentions, are really not risks… there is nothing to lose… only an action to open a door for a new possibility.
LLM,
Michele
Indeed, there is nothing to lose.
Loss is in not taking action.
Glad this post resonated with you and that you found it helpful.
Dear Arvind,
It’s helpful to be aware of distractions. While I know I sometimes get caught up in them, I try to remind myself to come back to center and focus on what really matters.
Thanks for shining the flashlight on those nasty distractions! 🙂
Warm regards & be well,
Lauren
Being centered and focused is the best thing you can do when it comes to distractions. They can’t survive in the light of focused, awareness of your true objective.
Great timing. I have been distracted by a major life change in my family. The life change isn’t the distraction–it’s real. The distraction is all my fretting about various scenarios I’m spinning out in my head. I repeatedly have to bring myself back to NOW. Right now, what is happening? How can I be present with an open heart this instant? How can I stop judging this as good or bad and simply have faith that … well, simply have faith?
Thank you for this timely inspiration!
Being present in the now can have a tremendously positive effect in having self mastery over self.
Your life is worth living well!
Hi,
Good post. Beliefs, values, emotions, and distractions around them. Interesting how the mind pushes these into our conscious awareness, when someone beside us can be completely oblivious. Much distraction centre’s around holding on to something, eg a belief for example.
When we become more of our-self, we need less. And the control is in letting go of the control. Trying to control only reinforces what we’re trying to escape from… ahh, there’s that distraction again.
Your words also remind me of the Tao; “true sayings seem contradictory. Act by not acting. Do by not doing. The master accomplishes much without doing”. Know thyself, that’s the key. I’ve created a programme around that, it may be of interest.
1-on-1 Self Mastery Programme