How can one become obsessed with anything?
I think being obsessed with some subject is a way to master it, to create something great. It's a mark of prominent creators.
I have several interests like AI, blockchain, maths, etc. I feel like I want to create something great in one of those areas, something I can be proud of and other people can use. I make some progress in them, but I think I am very causal and relaxed to push myself to invest more into my interests. I feel like it's a lack of some focus, craziness, passion, obsession, whatever.
Is it possible to grow and cultivate obsession, passion, or it's a matter of hormones, genetics, neurology, something out of our control?
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[ 9.1 ms ] story [ 22.7 ms ] threadThe first is if, in general, you repress your emotions, i.e. feel them yet stifle them instead of allowing yourself to feel them, then you are unavoidably also stifling your creativity. Many people are afraid to express their emotions especially the negative ones like hate, fear, anger, etc. out of fear of social disapproval or in the mistaken belief that rationality means to be unemotional, like Spock. The problem is that the good emotions like love, joy, happiness, desire, etc. get repressed in the cross-fire as repression indiscriminately chops off your highs and lows.
The second cause is being uncertain about what you believe is true and right and thus self-doubt that you will be worthy of or able to even achieve success. In any serious endeavor you are going to run into resistance from naysayers and other barriers to your goal. More importantly, such goals are inherently selfish and there is 2000 years of anti-selfish propaganda floating around the culture. One common adage to counter the self-doubt is to "fake it till you make it" which many rational people dismiss as obvious non-sense. However, that adage is not meant as advice to be dishonest or a "faker" but to take action regardless of your self-doubt or fears, because in the end you will develop the skills, ability, mental toughness to achieve and enjoy the ends you seek.
The goal is not to fear and repress your emotions nor to go through life without strong convictions (what you believe is true and right) but to understand both and change them if necessary. The good news is that there is an Rx for both of these cognitive errors which is to write a daily journal to examine and revise your conscious convictions and your subconscious emotions. Moreover, to counter the onslaught of anti-selfishness in the culture and lay down a path to being integrated in mind/body and thought/action you should read Ayn Rand's "The Virtue of Selfishness" and "Philosophy:Who Needs It".