Whenever I get into something, I’m interested for six months max. It’s making me scared to start anything new.

Embrace it, says our elder. You’re 14 — this is your time to experiment.

Dear EWC

I’m a 14-year-old guy and I’ve got a problem that’s been bothering me for as long as I can look back. I cannot focus on a subject, game or anything else that I am passionate about for more than six months. I call these time periods phases or periods, and because of that I am scared to start something in fear of leaving it as soon as I started it. What happens is that I stumble on something and I get very passionate about it for a very random amount of time. Then after that amount of time, I just lose interest. Right now I’m in a drawing period but I’m scared to go on because I might lose a large amount of time to it. I can just become a husk for up to three weeks and just survive. not having fun. I just sleep, eat, sleep, and feel nothing until a new period comes up and I feel joy in what I’m doing.

Hedwig replies

I think what you are experiencing is absolutely normal for a 14-year-old. It would be terrible if you set your mind on one thing, did only that, and then 10 years later regretted narrowing your world.

At 14, you should have many passions and experience them. This is a time for experimentation and learning. If you don’t do this now, you will certainly not do it at age 50! Relax, enjoy the adventures of your life. By all means draw – you do not have to sign a contract in blood that you will do it forever. Do it now, and you might come back to it again in later years, or you might not. But you will have learned from the experience.

Be open to, and feel many joys!

Letter #: 456706
Category: Self-Improvement