We love obsession. The latest entrepreneurial concept, the fresh relationship, our sports team, the shiny new car, the inspiring hobby. When something fills our hearts and minds we feel alive, all of our senses firing, like we have found what it is to be complete.

This excitement can easily lead to us making less space for other areas of our lives. We cancel plans, withdraw, make excuses and short-cut or forget about the mundanity of the everyday. We can miss meals, avoid work, even distance ourselves from our friends.

We may even know we are doing these things, but we allow ourselves – developing reasons and justifications for our behaviours. We make excuses to ourselves!

It is possible to maintain the passion for the obsession without losing who we are. Firstly, however, we have to want to, or, at least, recognise that we should. One way to do this is to use some projective thinking.

Put your mind on your passion, whatever or whoever it is. Imagine the perfect day in the future where this passion is most realised – possibly six months from now, maybe two years, maybe two weeks.

Having pictured that perfect time, zoom out slightly to picture your perfect life. What does your life look like? How is your health? What is your financial position? Who are your friends? Do you look like you’re eating well? Are you living with anxiety or freedom?

With that picture in mind, work backwards. How do you maintain or improve your health? How do you maintain relationships with those friends? How do you maintain or improve your financial position? How do you deliver yourself from anxiety?

Ultimately your obsession creates a focus. It is an eagerly anticipated part of your fulfilling future. But it is part of it and to get there you must balance the areas that form your full future life. You can make those other areas part of your obsession by tying them to your goal, your passion, your love.

Without balance, there is no freedom. Without freedom, happiness wilts.