“I am fed up with my distractions!”
That’s what a client told me recently when I asked him about his focus.
He realized that scrolling on his phone was consuming far too much of his day. He wasn’t using social media anymore…social media was using him.
His first step was installing a device called the Brick, which locks distracting apps until he intentionally unlocks them when he gets home.
What’s Holding You Captive?
What about you?
Maybe it’s something obvious:
• Money
• Fear
• Resentment
• Comparison
• An unhealthy relationship
• Alcohol
• Drugs
Or maybe it’s something more subtle:
• Achievement
• Productivity
• Perfectionism
• Recognition and approval
• A game on your phone
• Endless social media scrolling
Choices
The common thread is that they all begin as choices.
Eventually, they become your masters.
When something holds you captive, it takes away your freedom. Gradually, what once served you begins to control you.
If you’re wondering whether something has a grip on you, ask yourself this question:
“What would devastate me if it were taken away?”
The answer often reveals what has captured your heart.
Captivated
Now consider a different word: captivated.
Being captive and being captivated may sound similar, but they lead in completely different directions.
Being captive pulls you downward.
Being captivated draws you upward.
When you’re captivated, you’re drawn toward something larger than yourself:
• A mission
• A calling
• Your faith
For me, my relationship with the Lord captivates me every day.
Fear Vs. Purpose
Being captive produces anxiety because you’re afraid of losing something.
Being captivated produces purpose because you’re pursuing something meaningful.
One is driven by fear.
The other is driven by vision.
One diminishes you.
The other transforms you.
Great Filter
A great filter for evaluating what captivates us comes from a quote by Cole Huffman:
“We need a meaning in life that loss or suffering can’t take away.”
Does what captivates you pass that test?
If loss or suffering can destroy your purpose, perhaps your purpose is attached to the wrong thing.
But when your purpose is rooted in something deeper, even your toughest days can still be pretty good.
So Here’s The Question:
Are you captive to something that’s shrinking your life?
Or captivated by something that’s helping you become who you were designed to be?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
What captivates you?
