Fallton Havenstonne

Collecting things as a hobby can be a lifelong pursuit. It can take on a life of its own, and take us down a road where we’re searching everywhere for that one item (or two or three . . .) that belongs in our collection.

Although it might be just a hobby to collect, it can easily become more. Those collectibles can fill up bookshelves, walls, or entire rooms. The time that we invest into collecting can span years–decades even. In the process, we become experts in the field as if we’ve earned a Phd in it, knowing every nuance of the items we collect, and where to get the best deals on them.

This hobby of collecting can range anywhere from video games, cards, stamps, coins, memorabilia, books, artwork, comics, etc. It begins with having an item or two–an object that piques our interests, one that sparks our curiosity. As we collect more, we uncover a world that has a life of its own, including a history with its own origin story, and how those objects evolved into what they are today.

As we dive deeper into this world, collecting things like there’s no tomorrow, filling up our bookshelves until there’s no space left, we start to realize that no matter how much we collect, there’s always more to collect, and in some cases, there’ll be something new that will come out in the future.

Due dates give us an incentive to finish, to wrap up whatever we’re doing before we proceed further. Even though there can be pressure and anxiety associated with due dates, they push us to work harder, to focus on the task at hand until the work is completed.

But due dates can have a negative effect as well. Depending on the amount of work there is in proportion to the due date, that due date can add undue stress and fatigue, especially if the work far exceeds what can be accomplished by the due date. This can make the work/project unbearable, unenjoyable, and make us want to never return to that kind of work or project again.

On the flip side, without due dates, the initiative isn’t there to finish a project. We can take as much time as we need, but on the assumption that we’ll be working on it consistently, and that we’re not pulled away by other things that distract us or demand our attention. But how often are we distracted, and how often do new things come up that demand our attention? Daily, of course.

Thus, there must be a middle ground between the two extremes of unreasonable due dates and no due dates at all. That middle ground exists where experience shows what can be achieved given what is humanly possible. Exceeding that limit can cause us to sacrifice quality for completion, or to sacrifice completion for quality. But the question is how far can that limit be pushed?

Without something to fix, our day would seem fruitless. Whether if it’s an intellectual question, a practical situation, a mechanical/engineering problem, or a work of art, we need something to fix, something to invest our energy and labor in to repair or rebuild what was imperfect and flawed. If we don’t have something to fix, it’s as if our talents would go wasted and untapped.

When a problem presents itself to us, we’re engaged in the process of solving it, of bringing a resolution to it. This process activates our minds, taps into the creative parts of our being, and brings about a chain reaction of events that can go on for days or weeks or months until we’ve fixed the problem.

Sometimes that problem could be as simple as changing a flat tire on a car. It requires us knowing what tire to replace it with and how to replace it efficiently according to the correct steps. We have to carefully consider how we’re going about it, and apply our knowledge to complete the task. When it’s done, we feel satisfied, relieved. But that will be short lived when the next problem arises. Solving problems and fixing things seems to be an innate part of who we are. It’s as if without problems to solve or fix, we’d languish in inertia.

Inspiration is something we all need. Inspiration emboldens us to go beyond the norm, of pushing us to (or beyond) our limits to achieve our goals.

Inspiration can come from art, movies, books, history, and those around us. Inspiration gives us the resolve to pursue something beyond the requirements that come from discipline and habit. Although those are great things, inspiration can turn discipline and habit into boundless creativity and energy, a persistence that will not waver despite the hurdles and setbacks that come our way.