Being in a state of constant chase

Many of us feel like we aren't good enough when we aren't doing enough. Constant chase keeps us chronically pursuing goals without ever feeling a sense of accomplishment. There's another way.

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In the age of constant doing, our minds tend to be more active than we are.

We rush around. We busy ourselves with a to-do list. We bury ourselves in our work. We are a culture of nonstop doers. This creates an inner state of constant chase and pursuit. Many people are “doing” more in their minds than they are in reality. At the same time, we also experience inaction quite frequently. The mind remains in motion while we ourselves stay stuck.

The nervous system, which is trained through evolution to help us speed up and slow down, experiences a mixed message when we put pressure on ourselves to chase and pursue while the actions we take are the exact opposite. This push-and-pull lifestyle keeps us constantly moving without ever feeling accomplished. Constant chase keeps us chronically pursuing goals without feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment. It leaves us feel like we aren’t good enough because we aren’t doing enough.

In order to create the life we want, we must find better ways to achieve and pursue our goals rather than having to be in constant motion. To pursue is to proceed along a desired path. While humans are built for pursuit, we are not built for constant chasing and nonstop doing.

In a state of healthy pursuit

A healthy pursuit is one that inspires us to act because we want to, not because we have to. It means taking effective action by choice, not out of obligation. A healthy pursuit allows you to creatively express yourself; to fulfill your hopes, your dreams, your wishes, and your desires. A healthy pursuit keeps us connected to ourselves and to those around us. Healthy pursuits are about creating and building a life you love rather than one you have to constantly run away from.

As a culture, we are thinking more and more. With a steady stream of news, information, negativity, and cynicism, our thinking brain is re-wiring itself to anticipate the worst. This constant loop of stress makes for an active mind. In many ways, I think the constant state of doing and our need to be in constant motion is driven by an attempt to keep up with our active minds.

This has a detrimental impact on our ability to pursue the changes we want to make. We stay thinking about the change we want to happen instead of taking the necessary steps to make the thing we want our reality. We create expectations, we build up hope, and we build a new life for ourselves in our minds, but not in real life. We become stuck and, in our desperate pursuit to belong and to be on track, we become unable to pursue what we desire and turn our affirmations into actions.

The pattern of healthy pursuit turns into a cycle of constant chase, where we are no longer just pursuing things through action, we are constantly chasing them in our minds; we’re chasing people, we’re chasing goals, we’re chasing hopes, chasing feelings, chasing a different outcome, and, chasing a better life. This is the cycle of constant chase.

In a state of constant chase

If to pursue is to proceed along a desired path, then to chase is to pursue as a way to catch or catch up with. A healthy pursuit allows you to find your way by staying on the path. And a constant chase will have you busy-making, running around, and worrying about whether you’ve caught up or if there is more to catch. The state of constant chase ignites our stress response in the same way a cheetah’s stress gets activated in order to chase its prey. Except, in our case, we’re not chasing antelopes. We’re chasing deadlines, chasing rumours and gossip, chasing text messages, and chasing our way through the day. It becomes a mix of running away from things that make us uncomfortable and running towards what’s going to make us feel good.

Cheetahs learn to chase because it keeps them alive. They don’t hold onto the stress of chasing because they process the stress energy through movement. They release the stress from the chase once they’ve reach the desired outcome and catch their prey. When we are chasing things around in our minds, sometimes from the comfort of our own couch, our body doesn’t have an opportunity to process the stress from the chase. When we’re chasing, but not achieving, or when we’re imagining but not acting, our stress response remains activated. In the absence of a reward or goal achievement, the brain and body don’t know that the chase is over. Being in a state of constant chase keeps our stress activate— in mind and body. This reaffirms the importance of daily movement, a healthy meal, and a good night’s rest.

How to give up the need to chase

Here are 5 important lessons I’ve learned about being in a state of constant chase paired with the 5 solutions to help you create a life you love:

1. No matter how fast you run, being in a state of constant chase isn't going to get you closer to the life you want.

   • Solution: You need a plan. You need a plan that includes taking breaks, resting, and getting a good night’s sleep. Sleep is very important, y’all! The first place to start is to get your sleep in order. And the way to get our sleep in order is to decrease your stress throughout the day. First, focus on your sleep. If you’re not sleeping well, that affects the following day’s energy. You are taking from tomorrow’s bank account if your sleep is not in check. Remember: Sleep requires peace. To get a better night’s sleep, get your stress in check.

2. If we are always rushing, one of the hardest things we will do is to do nothing.

   • Solution: When there is always something to do, we must learn how to not be in a state of constant doing. Remember: doing nothing is good for us. Many of us grew up in a “if there’s time to lean, there’s time to clean” sort of household. I call bullshit on that. If there’s time to lean, there’s time to rest, there’s time to relax, and there’s time to embrace an opportunity to do nothing— without guilt. Throughout the day, notice tiny opportunities to do nothing without feeling guilty. Embrace small moments of peace and quiet. Sit in silence and slow down. Slowing down, quite frankly, is hard work, so practice being still and practice being without a task.

3. When we are constantly chasing, we are usually not fully present.

   • Solution: Calm the active mind by slowing down your thoughts. This will clear some room for you to be fully present rather than living your life just in your head. Constantly scanning, running scenarios, and worrying about things you can’t control exacerbates your stress. You stress stays active if you don’t take the steps to calm it or complete it. This is true of your thoughts too. Interrupt negative thought patterns and talk yourself through a situation (this is called self-talk). Try thought stopping, where you simply greet your thoughts and stop them. Practice mindfulness and meditation. Work no being more present with yourself and those around you. Remember: If it’s out of your control, you have to let it out of your mind too.

4. No one is going to force you to take a break, but your body will. Grind culture trains us to be productive, compliant, and over-worked.

   • Solution: Make peace with, and be honest about, the way this culture impacts you. You deserve to rest. You don’t have to work yourself into a state of burnout in order to take a break. You don’t have to earn your vacation. You don’t have to earn your time off. And you certainly do not have to earn rest. Give yourself permission to take a break, slow down, and resist the rush. You can do this for a few seconds, a few hours, or a few days. Go at your own best pace and take time to recover.

5. The stress from the chase is still stored in your muscles. Learn how to release the stress and tension that your body is holding onto.

   • Solution: Progressive muscle relaxation is a life saver. Notice where you hold the stress and tension in your body. For many people, it is their jaw, their shoulders, their neck, or their stomach. Do a body scan and see where you’re holding tension. Find ways to release stress by releasing the tension you store in your muscles. Notice where you tend to tighten your muscles. Soften it. Notice your posture. Adjust it. Notice how your body responds to stress. Slow it down by taking a deep breath or adjusting your position or posture. Take time to stretch. To play with movement. And to get to know your body and get to know how your stress stays stored in your muscles.

Final reminder

The body will store and hold onto what it thinks it needs in order to achieve the goals we create for ourselves. If you’re constantly chasing deadlines and feeding into the pressure that more needs to get done, your brain will register the incomplete tasks as either a failed attempt to catch your prey (cue the grief, sadness, depression, and guilt) or will see it as a signal that more prey needs to be caught (then, cue the need to hustle, to be busy, and to over-work yourself).

In any case, we don’t have to give in to the pressure to be in a state of constant chase.

Get to know your stress. Tap into the body. Listen to what it has to say and honour it. By doing this, you can acknowledge the way that stress impacts you so that you can give yourself permission to release it.

You got this!

Jake