Did you ever have a bothersome notion that you couldn’t shake, an unusually focused presumption about something that was so persistent it played in the mind constantly and even got in the way of going about the day as we usually do?

I trust enough music lovers have switched back to vinyl to make this analogy understandable. The record is playing when suddenly the same groove plays over and over again. The only way to stop the sound from repeating is to nudge the turntable gently or lift the needle and replace it on the record.

We may become hooked on extolling the benefits of kale, driven to talking incessantly about the daily Trumpian tweets, or hell bent on walking 10,000 steps a day no matter how tired or the pain of the growing blister on your heel.

A healthy weight, a measured opinion about politics and a regular exercise regimen are not inherently damaging but when they become overriding fixations based on ‘must have, must prevail, must do’ they can knock us off balance and cause us to neglect what’s truly important.

The challenge is to control our single-focus behaviors before they become obsessions and gain power over our daily lives. And the way to do that is to change the mindset, nudge the turntable to a different groove that distracts you and takes you out of the rut you’ve dug.

Ask yourself, “What is my intention?” It’s important to be unambiguous on the motive that is driving you; filter out the pettiness that all of us fall victim to and get clear about what you want in the long run. Then do your best… and let go of outcome! Trust that what comes to pass leads to the place where you are supposed to be at this time.

The road to the finish line rarely is straight, and more often than not the urgency “to get there” without delay is self-imposed. My suggestion is, the next time you feel ‘driven’ accept the detours along the way, hop into the back seat and enjoy the scenery passing by.