The Risks Of Switched-Off People

The world divides into two types of people, and I keep running into both: the switched-on and the switched-off. Let me paint you a picture.

Switched-on people are out there picking up dots and sharing connections for the pure joy of discovery. They're alive in a way that's almost electric. When they're hyped about something - whether it's the perfect ramen recipe or the mathematics of black holes - it's contagious. At best, it's the kind of inspiration that makes you want to dive deeper into life. At worst? They’re overenthusiastic puppies - slightly overwhelming, but you can redirect that energy without dimming their light or losing your smile.

Then there are the switched-off people. They've convinced themselves there's no room for more dots in their carefully ordered universe. Or maybe they never believed they had room to begin with. When faced with someone's genuine excitement, all they can muster is that dream-killing question: "Why do you care about that again???"

Look, I get it. There are legitimate reasons to switch off sometimes: boundaries need maintaining, burnout needs addressing, bad days need processing. These are the emotional equivalent of necessary maintenance breaks.

But here's the thing: there are no good reasons to stay switched-off permanently. Ever. Even though you might need to do it from time to time, you don’t want to stay in that mode.

I've watched these chronically switched-off people up close. They do things that make you wince internally - things you desperately hope your kids (or nephews, or nieces) never grow up to embody. Sometimes they achieve what looks like success from a distance, but get closer and you'll see the price tag of their soul being sold out.

I've known too many of them, met too many of them, tried to help too many of them. They're the ones who'll drain every drop of your energy and then stand there in the scorching sun, complaining about the heat while point out you haven’t even offered them a drink.

It's surprisingly hard to say you don't have time for that kind of energy vampire. But, it's worth finding the words, or at least finding exit as fast as possible. There's too much wonder out there to waste time with people who've forgotten how to see it.

To my fellow switched-on souls: we need to protect that light. Set those boundaries and keep our dot-collecting on the healthy side of obsession. Take those burnout breaks when necessary, so our inner fire keeps burning bright instead of burning out. Put those bad days to bed knowing tomorrow brings fresh possibilities, fresh connections, fresh dots to collect.

Because staying switched-on isn't just about personal joy - it's about keeping alive the kind of curiosity that makes life worth living.

h/t to Kris Abdelmessih and Morgan Ranstrom for inspiring this post. They both think deeply about how they embody being switched-on in front of their kids and others and it shows. Hear us hanging out on Just Press Record: