Warning: This is NOT Click-bait

Psyche!

That’s what we old-timey Gen-Xers would say, back in our junior high days, when we held something tantalizing out to a trusting sucker and then pulled it back with sarcastic glee. Ha ha! Fooled you! Psyche!

We could liken ‘psyche’ to ‘click-bait’ today. A flashy title to get your attention leading to an underwhelming article. Quite amusing for the psycher, if not quite as fun for the psychee.

I feel like my brain critters play that trick on me all the time, psychers that they can be.

Wonderfully creative ideas splash through my mind like well-produced commercials. Catchy, flashy, and chock full of promising potential results. My critters start chattering with excitement!

“Start this < insert any of a myriad of projects, practices, courses, crafts > today! Enjoy an amazing, new and improved existence tomorrow!”

Pretty sure that I fall for it at least 85% of the time, even though I am well aware of the scam.

I am quick to dig down another rabbit hole of research (as well as the inevitable purchasing of ‘necessary supplies’). I am artificially elated, full of inspiration and expectation. I strategize and scheme, chart and sketch, map out the path to completion. Rarely satisfied, I edit and rewrite, erase and delete, and start over from scratch.. at least three times.

Then I get serious. Sort of. At least, I intend to get serious.

…. wwwhhiiiiccchh …. leads me to consider … peripherally … that I’ve more than earned my ticket to hell, since the path is paved with good intentions.

And then…

And then…

And then…

I tangent because I have to consider that maybe this is my own personal hell, stuck in a perpetual loop.

ideate — educate — motivate — plan - begin ——— wane —— TANGENT! — ideate — educate — motivate — plan - begin ——— wane —— TANGENT! — ideate — educate — motivate — plan - begin ——— wane —— TANGENT! — ideate —

you.get.the.picture.

Somewhere after ‘begin’ I develop a slow leak in my forward motion, leaving me pushing uphill (both ways) on rapidly deflating tires. The sparkle fizzles and shiny new allure gets grungy, then my fragile ego grows disgruntled. Creative exhaustion quickly follows, while motivation and discipline jointly wane.

That’s when something out of left field hits me…

TANGENT! OH LOOK A NEW SOMETHING OR OTHER!

PSYCHE!

(If you were hoping for a conclusion, hope away… I’m already on to the next thing… leaving this unfinished, as I do --- sorry, not sorry)