Originally published in Entrepreneur Magazine

By Todd Davis

The truth is that, with practically every worthwhile job or career, we can all get caught up in the “pinball syndrome.” Think of a pinball machine as a metaphor for all the urgent things that demand our attention throughout the day. And while we may not feel like we’re playing a game, per se, when accomplishing such tasks, we might feel attracted to (or even seduced by) the rapid pace and focus that’s required to get them done. Add a small endorphin rush as we check off the next item on our to-do list, and it’s easy to see how the urgent can feel gratifying, even addictive at times. The challenge is that some of the urgencies might also be important, but the allure of the game gives everything equal weight. As a result, we can end up spending time and energy on the less important. In the words of author J.K. Rowling’s Albus Dumbledore, “Humans have a knack for choosing precisely the things that are worst for them.”

Urgent things act on us; they compete for our attention and insist on a response.

Read the full article at https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/303964