entertainment and escapism

It never ceases to amaze me when I stumble across an article, book or blog post that so clearly exemplifies a feeling or behavior that I identify with on such a base level.

This week one of those eye-opening (but deep down you knew it all along) revelations came via Darren Hardy's blog Seeds of Success. Darren is the editor of Success magazine and does an amazing job of providing great stories of those who succeed at a level beyond most.

The blog entry titled "Tips on Out-Preparing Your Competition" gave four great tips but it was number one that resonated with me immediately:

1. Study: This is the advantage that Jamie Moyer and so many other superachievers exercise better than their competition and the rest of us. While others are filling their time with entertainment and escapism, superachievers are studying and improving their craft. Having more knowledge, data, background and intelligence will always give you the upper hand in any situation.

And there is was, right there out in the open. A true aha moment - yes I do fill my time with "entertainment and escapism"...

Think about how many of these circumstances you too have found yourself in...

- I surf around my bazillion cable channels telling myself that I am just looking for background noise while I work on my project du jour but I end up landing on a movie I've seen 100 times before or the rerun of a sitcom or TV drama that I should be able to pass by

- I subscribe to more magazines than one could possibly read in a month

- I consistently am in the middle of more than one book, sometimes three or four. Different genres, different book clubs, same distraction

I often have described myself as an entertainment junkie, now I am forced to look deep down and wonder if I really am an entertainment junkie because I love it, or because I love that it allows me to avoid what I really should be doing.

Read Darren's blog post for yourself, it is a good one.