#1 ·
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the idea of "compartmentalization." We all talk about it like it’s this superpower, especially in high-stakes careers where you’re expected to perform at 100% regardless of what's happening in your living room. But honestly, I think it’s a bit of a myth.
I remember a few years back when I was trying to grind through a certification exam while my personal life was basically a dumpster fire. I thought I could just lock those feelings in a box, shut the lid, and focus. It didn't work. I was distracted, my sleep was shot, and my performance was mediocre at best. It felt like I was trying to run a marathon with a weighted vest on, even though nobody could see the extra weight.
It makes me wonder if we put too much pressure on people to be "on" all the time. We demand total mental presence, but humans aren't built like machines. You can't just flip a switch and turn off heartbreak or life-altering changes just because you have a deadline or a big moment coming up.
Do you think it's actually possible to perform at an elite level when your personal life is falling apart, or is that just an impossible standard we set for ourselves?
I remember a few years back when I was trying to grind through a certification exam while my personal life was basically a dumpster fire. I thought I could just lock those feelings in a box, shut the lid, and focus. It didn't work. I was distracted, my sleep was shot, and my performance was mediocre at best. It felt like I was trying to run a marathon with a weighted vest on, even though nobody could see the extra weight.
It makes me wonder if we put too much pressure on people to be "on" all the time. We demand total mental presence, but humans aren't built like machines. You can't just flip a switch and turn off heartbreak or life-altering changes just because you have a deadline or a big moment coming up.
Do you think it's actually possible to perform at an elite level when your personal life is falling apart, or is that just an impossible standard we set for ourselves?