Chapter 113

Here's the pattern: When we become so fixated on one goal that we can't stand anything that doesn't directly serve it, we start destroying the very tools that keep us oriented in life. Ahab doesn't just ignore his quadrant—he crushes it underfoot. Why? Because it tells him where he is in the world, but not where his obsession is. That gap between what we have and what we crave becomes unbearable, so we smash the tools that remind us of reality. This destruction follows a predictable sequence. First comes frustration that our current tools don't directly serve our fixation. Then we convince ourselves these tools are actually obstacles—they're distracting us, slowing us down, keeping us from our 'real' purpose. Finally, we destroy them in a moment of rage, cutting ourselves off from the very systems that help us navigate safely. We tell ourselves we're being focused, but we're actually going blind. Watch for this pattern everywhere. The diabetic who stops checking blood sugar because the numbers don't show improvement fast enough. The worker who stops reading company emails because they don't contain the promotion news they want. The parent who stops calling family because conversations don't go how they imagined. The gambler who deletes banking apps because they show losses, not wins. Each person destroying their compass because it doesn't point directly at their obsession. When you feel the urge to destroy a navigation tool—whether it's a budget spreadsheet, a medical device, or a relationship that grounds you—stop. Ask: Am I crushing this because it's truly broken, or because it's showing me something other than what I want to see? The tools that orient us in reality often feel like obstacles when we're chasing fantasies. But destroying them doesn't get us closer to our goal—it just ensures we'll be lost when the chase ends. Keep your quadrants intact. You'll need them to find your way home. When you can recognize the moment obsession tempts you to break your own compass, resist that temptation, and stay oriented even while pursuing your goals—that's amplified intelligence.