An Example
I very recently went to an extreme, myself. During a heat wave of 100+ degrees (which is still ongoing as I write this), I wanted to see whether I could avoid using my air conditioner. I would rely on keeping the blinds closed and using my overhead fan. Why? I considered it training for the day when global warming will have made everything so hot that even air conditioners won't keep us cool. I wanted to accustom myself to this. I remembered that, as a child, I survived spells of 100+ degree heat (and there was no air conditioning in those days). Surely I could do it again.
Focused on my work and then on my piano practice, I disregarded intense perspiration that poured forth. But by and by I began to feel dizzy and realized that I had become dehydrated. I quickly corrected this, and resigned myself to using the air conditioner.
Was this silly? Some might say yes. Many of the younger people I know have never lived without air conditioning and they might wonder why I would do this to myself. But I felt a sense of mastery over my environment and, absorbed in my activities, felt no discomfort. And when I realized that I couldn't continue without my air conditioner, I discovered my limit. That knowledge may be useful down the road.
Going to Extremes as a Good Thing
My dalliance with an extreme was temporary. But many people go to extremes as a part of living their lives. One example is the Olympic athlete. To get to that level, an athlete must focus intensely on his skill and commit to a training schedule that tends to preclude other nonessential activities. If, because of his innate talent, he gets tremendous pleasure out of this activity, he will feel that going to that extreme is a good thing.
Professional ballet dancers very often develop injuries during their careers (and dance injured). I have heard a number of them speak matter-of-factly about chronic injuries that they take for granted as a consequence of pursuing their art. And some professional musicians also develop chronic injuries. For these people, too, pushing themselves to extremes results in the pleasure of being highly accomplished and able to engage in an activity that they love.
A situation in which going to an extreme is a good thing is when it leads to a true solution, which, in the case of athletes and artists, is the realization of their talent.
When is Going to Extremes Problematic?
Whenever it is done as a partial solution rather than a true one. A true solution solves a problem. A partial solution decreases one's distress but doesn't solve the underlying problem. I once saw a man who was becoming dehydrated continue to try to exercise rather than stop and take care of himself. I can only speculate as to his reason. Did he have a habit of self-denial (a partial solution) in order to negate the pain of early deprivation? Did he need to feel invincible (a partial solution) to combat fears of various dangers? Did he feel the need to achieve a certain result (a partial solution) in order to overcome feelings of inferiority?
Do You Ever Go to Extremes?
Almost everyone resorts to various partial solutions that don't solve underlying problems because 1) they may not be aware of the source of their discomfort, or 2) they have developed partial solutions during childhood when they didn't have the knowledge or independence to find a true solution. I will soon offer a process that will enable you to achieve true solutions for your discomforts and problems. In the meantime, you can use my complimentary Tool (Step 3) to create a new mental pathway that will be dedicated to a specific problem that you identify.
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