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> Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2008 09:49:56 -0700 > From: bweary@xxxxxxxxxxxx > To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [RC] Passion vs Obsession > > We have likely all found ourselves passionate about something, as > well as obsessed with something, at one time or another. It's probably a > great oversimplification, but it seems to me that the riding/racing > debate might be better understood under a passion/obsession model. A > passsion can certainly grow into an obsesssion, which can evolve further > into an unhealthy activity. We can be passionate about our health, eat > right, hit the gym, etc.,. Or we can obsess over it, develop an eating > disorder, exercise seven days a week and develop injuries as a result. > We can obsess our way to high blood pressure, ulcers, diabetes, morbid > obesity and heart disease, even cancer. In endurance riding, when we > keep ourselves in the "passionate range," there is still likely a high > concern for the horse which we will defer to as we try to perform our > best. If there's a problem, we back off. We don't knowingly take on > added significant risk without contermeasures. There is little desire to > overuse the horse as we pursue our goals. When those goals cross over > into obsession, it takes great skill and self-discipline to recognize > and honor the welfare of the horse as we reach for loftier, and riskier > goals. There is a small subset of riders who can accomplish this > safely. The "rub" is that the risks are usually only greater for the > horse, not for us. At the far end of obsession, call it narcissism, ego, > selfishness--whatever, the concern for the horse is increasingly cast > aside as the vision of the goal and what it represents becomes enshrined > in the mind of the acheiver. Fame, braggin' rights (how many dead or > injured horses are a result of just that?), money, social/cultural > status--anything that drives the frail human ego--can all squelch the > quiet voice of conscience and unleash a Pandora's box of methods that > are usable in attaining "the goal." > This debate is long lived, and will continue. Maybe the discomfort > and disgust felt by some comes from our inability to cross that line > from passion to dangerous obsession. It's okay to be competitive as long > as the "volume knob" of conscience is turned up to audible levels at all > times. Pardon my indelicacy, but we ought not have our heads so far up > our a** that we can't hear the stereo. Dr Q > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > > Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. > Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp > Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp > > Ride Long and Ride Safe!! > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= >
