Ever felt that your obsession is a waste of time?

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Have you or anyone else felt that your obsession is a waste of time even if you love what you're "specializing" in?

Never had a problem with that.

Tim

It's not a waste of time if it makes you happy.

i've never had that experience iirc

Only when I look at what I've gotten from a lifetime of pursuing them.

Sometimes, but not most of the time. I do get angry at times if I am wrenched away from them. really REALLY angry.

^Currently, I'm still waiting for my obsession to have some results. So far, the results are mainly self-satifactory, but I'm hoping it'll have some money income results (my main interests are my story and drawing, so you can see how they can bring in some money later in life). The only other interest that had gotten no results was my liking of trains, which has for now died down.

if I think its a waste of time, then its not an obsession.

The 2 best times to go fishing, is when its raining, and when it isn't.

Despite getting told over and over again by my parents that my obsession with dogs is a waste of time, I don't seem to have this issue. You'd think I would, since I can't remember a time in my life when someone supported it except for the time my aunt gave me my first copy of The Encyclopedia of the Dog when I was six.

no, i don't think so. sometimes i over produce? if i'm painting a picture trying to do too much to it only to ruin it. 80% of what i paint is garbage

Nope, the only time that happens is when an obsession "leaves" and I look at all the stuff I've collected and the time I've invested and feel kind of upset with myself.

When my obsession is actively engaging me, I feel like it's the most important thing in the world, and sometimes skip out on things that I KNOW should be more important.

^ I have a similar thing happening. When I find a new thing I really like (most often a new game) I'll just collect absolutely ALL the content on it I can find. Then, two days later, I'll look at what I've got and go "Why did I just collect those things?"

My obsessions are somewhat cyclic; they last anywhere from six months to five years. Towards the end of that time, the last month or so, I may begin to think whatever it is is a waste of time, if it's something like a game... Never with academic subjects, though; learning things, my only lifelong obsession, has never felt unimportant to me. Usually when those peter out, it's because I'm not as interested as I used to be, or because I'm more interested in something else.

Despite that, I think I'd be less happy without my obsessions. It's always something--usually two things at a time, sometimes even three or four--and that something gives me happiness and a sense of purpose. My obsessions, being stronger than normal hobbies, have even helped carry me through the worst of my depression; I do get less joy from them than usual during those times, especially if it's bad enough that I'm suicidal; but I never (unlike an NT with depression) completely lose interest.

Obsessions in general are not a waste of time; but if I could learn to channel them into something that will help me succeed at school and get an interesting job, I'd really have it made.