What do we mean by 1D life.
Anytime we become single minded or only focus on one aspect of our lives.
e.g. Work being given exclusive focus over other aspects of life.
Why is this attractive
It is a very attractive strategy for making progress in an single direction. If we wish to progress or catch-up on our career. One strategy would be to hole up in our (home)office and focus on our craft to the exclusion of all else. Your social life, your physical well-being, exercise, time in nature, religion and any discretionary activities. This would give the single dimensional aspect immense focus and progress … in the short term.
The stronger we are in any one dimension, the weaker or more fragile we are in others.
What could go wrong, this sounds amazing?
Well in the short term, things may progress well and a feeling of achievement may be achieved. However it is only on one dimension and life essentially is an interweaving of many aspects or dimensions of the person.
If you are accomplished in ones craft technically but have poor social skills for example. Ones overall happiness and contentment will be diminished as a result of imbalance. Accomplishment in one dimension does not translate into confidence in society. Worse yet may arise when progress leads to a position of leadership where soft skills such as communication and co-ordination are required. The technical hard skills which we the foundation of ones esteem may now not be as valuable and lead one to lean on under developed aspects and dimensions.
Unless one works for a modern conglomerate like Apple, Google or Amazon where almost all ones needs are met on the campus and the need to venture into the wilder and unrelated reality of general society. One will be left wanting on some measure or metric.
What to do to avoid this state?
It is a battle we as humans all face. To excel requires focus and determination. However as foreshadowed earlier, by failing to look after our other dimensions we risk boxing ourselves into situations which do not meet our long term goals for a fulfilling life.
We become like the body builder who skipped leg days, and now is too embarrassed to attend beach days and pool parties.
To avoid this state requires us to accept that we are more than one dimension and that we need to fill all of these various cups.
I define these dimensions as the following in no particular order
- Physical Well-being
- Mental Well-being
- Spiritual Well-being
- Self interest
- Creativity
- Social Well-being
- Emotion Well-being
- Sensual Well-being
- Financial Well-being
- Professional Well-being
When we wish to excel one of the above cups will always be a fuller. Could be a small amount more or disproportionately.
The problem is that they are all interrelated and often when things tip too far in one cup it depletes the other which then harms the full cup.
e.g. working too hard for too long, can cause poor physical health, mental fragility as well as an inability to focus. Spiritually our foundation may weaken and our goals may no longer be enough to sustain us. Our social life may be harmed, loved ones who depend on us may be let down or be harmed by ones neglect. We may lose the ability to enforce our personal borders and work and private life may blend dangerously. All the while our professional and financial well-being may be improving dramatically.
However if say our health deteriorates passed a certain point where we are no longer able to focus or work the hours we used to. This can have enormous impact on these two pillars we have built our life on.
Without the professional and financial accomplishments we have achieved or attained:
- Who are we?
- What is our goal or purpose?
- Was it worthwhile in the end at the price we paid?
- Do we regret this strategy?
- What now?
For any achievement beyond the ordinary and extraordinary commitment or investment is required. However should this be total, all encompassing or life defining is the question we are need to answer.