In a 2013 movie (you know me and movies…) called “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” – Mitty, played by Ben Stiller, spends day after monotonous day developing photos for his employer, Life Magazine. One day, he gets the chance at an extravagant adventure when Life’s new owners send him on a mission to track down the perfect photo for their final print issue. He sets out on a quest to far reaches of the world, all the while submitting his profile to a dating service in hopes of finding love. One day, his eHarmony representative “Todd” phones Mitty to update his profile. Unbeknownst to Todd, Mitty is in the process of hiking along the crest of a Himalayan mountaintop. While Todd initiates a casual conversation about life and love etc, Mitty interrupts with an almost laconic bombshell.
“Todd…I have to make oxygen choices.”
WOW! I loved that phrase! Immediately, I thought about the “oxygen choices” we make every day–often without realizing it.
Clearly, oxygen is a good thing–to us carbon based lifeforms anyway–so deciding where and when to use it can be a life-determining decision. But imagine for a moment that oxygen was a symbol of something else critical to your life. For example, imagine “oxygen” as time. In what do you invest your time? To whom do you invest? We have so many options in what we choose to prioritize in our lives. Quite often, the toughest of these decisions aren’t between a “good vs bad” time-choice or even ones that offer a clear choice. Sometimes they’re between two very worthwhile priorities–like which of your talents or skills you will give the bulk of your time.
I enjoy playing the piano and writing music, but at one point I had to concede that in order to pursue other areas of my life, some had to be whittled back. I haven’t cut music out completely; just limited it to a great hobby/pastime I enjoy for its own sake, rather than trying to pursue it as a career. That and art and learning Russian now fall into my category of fun pursuits that didn’t align with my overall goal.
We need to realize that as we follow the path to which we’ve committed, there are some things left better undone. Look at your end game and focus all you do towards that accomplishment. Sure, there is plenty of truth to “All work and no play…” (even though Jack Nicholson was plumb-loco when he said it in The Shining…). We all need time to unwind, chillax, and get re-focused–which is a GREAT time to pursue those other activities we have set aside.
“Stop investing time into things that don’t contribute to your mastery.” ~ Jonathan Cuttrell
A more controversial and difficult surrogate for oxygen could also be people. Which people in your life are contributing to yours? Which are vampires draining you of your vital resources? Maybe you have a great circle of friends, co-workers, family, etc. Most likely, you devote more time to some than others. Limiting your level of involvement with some over others is not a choice of “good better best,” but rather creating a pool of resources that will help you in critical of times as you strive towards your end game.
Keep a monitor of what you are choosing to give your “oxygen” to and make sure that ultimately, your choices are the right priority for your tasks and goals and dreams. It’s not uncommon to adjust these choices as our circumstances change. What is a priority today may be different next week, when you might have a whole new set of choices to make. Just be sure you are conscious of who, what and when.
I appreciate this thinking.