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It’s easy for all of us to pretend that the thing that we choose to do, to eat or to try which was good for us in small doses is also good for us in larger doses.

This is the principle of the inverted U curve again.

During the time off that I was so privileged to have over December and January, it was wonderful to have the freedom, no schedule and no hassle.

That is off set though by the fact that by the time it gets to the end there is a reducing level of purpose and contribution; and that becomes a problem.

It’s a common enough thing in people that sell their business or those who retire (seemingly too early). This is of course the Goldilocks principle, not too hot and not too cold. My life, in general, is a wonderful mix of highly stimulating and contributing activities.

On Friday, I flew back from Glasgow after an astonishing experience speaking to dental students, on Saturday I was a dad to my three children and on Sunday a football coach where I took my Mustang football team to their presentation at the Concert Hall in Nottingham to receive their trophies for finishing 2^nd in the league (that was after we won 3-0 in the morning against a team who are a division up from us).

I get to write a newsletter to the Mustangs every Monday which I love, and I also fill out a spreadsheet with all their data on it including a register of who has attended so I can plan the game for the following week; but all too quickly it’s Monday again and I’ve got more amazing things to do at the practice.

The point is that too much of a good thing is no longer a good thing and although the urge is to cram our lives full with things which seem to mean something and are a contribution to ourselves and to others, they’re worthless without the chance to sit back, reflect and smile.

Ages ago I got into eating oatcakes because oatcakes are good for you, but every time I pull them out the cupboard Alison tells me that they’re full of fat!

Oatcakes were good when I ate 2 or 3 a day but now I’m onto 20 it’s probably time to direct my addictive personality somewhere else.

Blog post number: 1566