During our first years of life, our behavior was not too complicated. When we liked something, we wanted to repeat the experience and if we found it unpleasant, we simply avoided it. However, over time our behavior has become more complex and we have lost that ability to enjoy our obsessive side.
If we look back we will realize that when we were little we enjoyed the same story over and over again but then we began to discover the pleasure of trying new things and our most obsessive side diminished, until it reached the point where we gave it a negative connotation. However, obsessiveness, when it does not reach pathological levels, also has its advantages.
How to take advantage of your obsessive side?
1. It allows you to finish what you have started
Many people tend to leave their projects halfway because they become demotivated in the middle of the road or become discouraged by the obstacles that arise. However, those who have a more obsessive side tend to be more tenacious, they undertake projects as if their life depended on them and they often succeed or, at least, manage to finish them with results. Obsession is a powerful driving force of our behavior. In fact, many of the great artists and scientists were obsessed with their work.
2. It makes it easier for you to form a new habit
To form a habit it takes an average of 21 days, depending on the person and the type of habit. However, most quit before the habit becomes established. However, obsessive people have one point in their favor: when they find that something brings them satisfaction, it is easier for them to repeat the behavior; it is almost like a natural tendency that requires less effort. It is no coincidence that many people who go to the gym every day or follow a strict diet have obsessive traits.
3. You will finish tasks with higher quality
In many cases, obsession is linked to perfectionism. In fact, there is a healthy perfectionism, in which the person strives to perform the task with the highest quality but is also aware of his or her limits. People with obsessive traits tend to focus more on details and take care of the final finish, so the quality of their projects is often excellent.
4. You will enjoy repetitive activities more
While for many people repetitive activities are boring and they often abandon big projects because they are not willing to dedicate too much time to them, for those who have an obsessive side, repetition is not an obstacle that stops them, on the contrary, they can even enjoy doing certain activities since they are capable of putting passion into it.
5. It will prevent you from making mistakes
Since obsessive people tend to be very detail-oriented, they are less likely to make oversights or mistakes, not only in projects but in their daily lives. When we manage to exploit our obsessive side, we achieve an overview that includes many details, which, in the long run, can save us time and avoid problems.
When does obsession become a problem?
– When you act impulsively, without analyzing the consequences of your actions or the relevance of the actions you take.
– When you focus so much on the details that you forget the global project, spending resources unnecessarily.
– When obsessions take control and, instead of having a productive purpose and making you feel good, they become an obstacle to your daily life and affect your relationships.
