“You’re More Than a Success Machine”
September 10, 2024
Summary.
If you think you might be a workaholic, the underlying issue may be something more insidious: an addiction to success. This is what social scientist Arthur C. Brooks argues, explaining how this addiction develops and why it can be so damaging, to both ourselves and our relationships. He emphasizes that we are not “success machines,” and he advocates for both spirituality and making strong connections with others as antidotes to this problem.
About halfway through Arthur C. Brooks’s tenure as president of a Washington, DC, think tank, he realized two things: He lacked a clear purpose, and he was missing valuable time with his family. Traveling frequently and working 80-plus hours a week, he had allowed workaholic tendencies to creep into his life. Despite everything that was rewarding about his job, something had to change.