Honestly, this whole “chasing impossible things” vibe? Yeah, I see it in the mirror sometimes. Been there, got the t-shirt, wore it ragged. Started noticing it everywhere – aiming for promotions way outta reach, saving for vacations costing twice my yearly pay, you know the drill. It kinda snuck up on me. That tingling mix of excitement and dread when planning a shiny, outlandish goal, followed hard by the stomach drop when reality crashed the party.
My Own Wild Goose Chases
First off, I tried just stopping cold turkey. Like, “Alright brain, no more moon-landing ideas.” How’d that go? Predictable disaster. Sitting still felt worse. My brain kept kicking up dust, restless like a caged squirrel, itching for the next big, shiny, impossible thing to chase. Couldn’t just tell it to shut up.
Felt like hitting a wall. Needed to understand why I did it. So I started journaling like a madman whenever that craving hit. Pulled out an old notebook – the cheap spiral-bound kind – and scribbled the details. What exactly was I aiming for? Why now? What was I trying to escape? Those quiet moments staring at blank pages… eye-opening. Saw a pattern. Avoiding tough stuff. Current responsibilities? Meh. Past disappointments? Don’t wanna feel ‘em. An impossible goal was this fantastic distraction circus.
The “Why” Behind the Chase
Made myself face the music. Sat on my sofa one Tuesday night, no distractions, just me and that nagging feeling. Flipped through weeks of messy notes. The common thread? Discomfort. Pure and simple. Chasing the impossible meant I didn’t have to deal with feeling stuck in my current job, didn’t have to grieve a past project failure, didn’t have to acknowledge the boredom of routine. That impossible goal was pure escapism dopamine.
Baby Steps & Reality Checks
Knowing the “why” only half worked. Still felt that pull. Needed concrete fixes. Enter what I call “reality anchors.” Before committing mental energy to any new idea, I force myself to ask brutal questions:
- Is This Achievable Right Now? Honestly? Like, checking the calendar and bank account honestly?
- What Immediate Action Can I Take? Forget the moon landing, show me the first screw to tighten today.
- What Am I Trying to Avoid By Focusing on This? Ouch. That one stings, every time.
Started stupidly small. Instead of plotting to become a bestselling author overnight, I committed to writing 200 crappy words a day. Just put something down. No grand plan, just action. And you know what? The sky didn’t fall when I focused on achievable writing blocks instead of future fame.
Swapping Impossible for Incremental
The real shift happened when I deliberately replaced those huge, distant, glittering fantasies with smaller, near-term wins. Actively sought projects with clear, foreseeable endpoints. Volunteered for a manageable community task with a definite deadline. Focused on improving one specific work skill over a quarter. Felt boring sometimes, sure, but also… solid. Grounded. No more frantic energy, just steady progress. Noticed my shoulders weren’t up around my ears as much.
Breaking this habit is grunt work. Found myself having to consciously choose that grounded feeling. Constantly redirecting my own attention back to the next tiny step. Is the lure of the impossible gone? Nah. Probably never will be. But spotting the pattern faster? Yeah. Recognizing that frantic chase for what it often is – a fancy way of running away – makes it easier to take a breath, plant my feet, and tackle the next tiny, possible thing right in front of me.
