Workaholic? Maybe

[Don’t Dismiss It - X]

Workaholism is not simply working too much or about too many hours spent in the office. It’s more often an exit from something or an avoidance of another something. If we work to avoid (pain, a spouse, other responsibility, our true self) then we may be addicted.

But I’d like to add another piece. Work is an acceptable, even noble, reason for dismissing the creativity within us. Nothing jams the flow of creative ideas as much as 14 hour days at the office. And we do it again and again.

I’m beginning to think workaholism is fundamentally an avoidance of creativity. It “allows” us to not engage, not dream, not be artistic. It “saves” us from addressing our passions and eccentric ideas. It “protects” us from our own imagination.

Our dreams, passions, ideas, and imagination are powerful.
Sometimes fierce.
And scary.

The solution: put our heads down and work.
This is not a solution that leads to addiction—it is the addiction.