“The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.” -— David Viscott

At its heart, our culture holds a conflicted relationship with the word obsession. We treat it as a warning label — a volatile state associated with polarity, dependency, fixation, and burnout. We caution against becoming too absorbed, too devoted, too driven. And in many cases, that caution is justified.

Yet the figures we admire most — the Taylor Swifts, Elon Musks, Tom Bradys, Steve Jobses, and Connor McDavids of the world — all carry/carried a calibrated form of obsession within them.

They do not chase flawlessness. They were or are pursuing alignment with their highest potential. There is no comfort in settling, no patience for mediocrity — only a deliberate, enduring commitment to growth, excellence, and craftsmanship. They selected the climb, navigating resistance, failure, and pressure as necessary fuel rather than deterrents.

So possibly the problem is not obsession itself, but how we define it. Maybe it is time we stop fleeing from the word and start reframing it.

Maybe, obsession deserves to be redefined with a new name: Purposeful Discipline.

Purposeful discipline is what converts interest into competence and curiosity into lasting impact. We celebrate the outcomes — the victories, the accolades, the brilliance — while conveniently overlooking the toll required to earn them. Greatness and comfort do not coexist. Each day, especially as leaders and builders of positive change, we must decide which one we are willing to sacrifice.

The aim is not to repress obsession or discipline, but to direct it. Channel it into craft rather than control. Sculpt focus into meaning. Hone discipline into an art form.

Whether we are leading an organization, a classroom, a team, or ourselves, our drive must be rooted in intentional intensity — not unchecked emotion that exhausts us or destabilizes those around us.

In the days/weeks ahead, pause and ask yourself:

• Where in my craft am I merely interested, instead of purposefully disciplined?
• Which trivial details, if applauded daily, could alter the trajectory of my performance and leadership?
• Am I willing to be misinterpreted in pursuit of something meaningful, rare, and exceptional?

When obsession is anchored in meaning, clarity, intention, and self-awareness, it does not isolate — it elevates. It raises the standard for everyone within its reach.

Because in the end, it is never about perfection. It is about preparation. It is about honouring the craft long after the lights fade — when no one is watching, and the work still matters.

Brian Nadon

Learn, Unlearn, Relearn