The Higossis Effect: Why We Always Feel 'Almost There'
You know that feeling, right? It's a low hum beneath the surface of everyday life, a kind of constant mental background noise. It's not quite anxiety, not quite burnout, but it's definitely something. It's the sensation that you're perpetually on the cusp of productivity, happiness, or breakthrough, yet you never quite stick the landing. You're always almost there, but never quite. Well, my friend, that subtle, pervasive state of being is what I like to call higossis.
No, you won't find it in the dictionary (yet!). I coined the term because it perfectly encapsulates this modern predicament. It's that nagging sense of un-finishedness, the mental tab perpetually open, the project you're going to start, the friend you're meaning to call, the perfect solution that's just around the corner. Higossis is the emotional and psychological drag created by our always-on, hyper-connected, endlessly option-filled world. It's a silent thief of contentment, keeping us in a state of anticipatory limbo.
What in the World is Higossis, Anyway?
Let's dig into it a bit. Imagine your brain as a browser with hundreds of tabs open – not all active, but all draining mental RAM. That's a pretty good visual for higossis. It's about the mental load of all the potential tasks, the possible choices, the imminent opportunities that demand our attention but never fully resolve. It's the feeling of being stretched thin across a dozen different fronts, none of which ever quite gel into a satisfying whole.
Think about it: How many books are on your "to-read" list? How many half-started projects clutter your physical or digital space? How often do you scroll through social media, looking for something, without really knowing what, only to feel a vague sense of dissatisfaction afterward? That, right there, is higossis in action. It's the constant yearning for the next thing or the better thing, preventing us from fully appreciating or completing the current thing.
The Digital Roots of Our Collective Higossis
It's no secret that technology plays a starring role in this drama. Our digital lives are perfectly engineered to foster higossis. Seriously, think about it:
- Infinite Scroll: There's always more content, more news, another cat video, another opinion piece. The well never runs dry, so why stop now?
- Constant Notifications: Ding! Your attention is pulled away from whatever you were doing. A new email, a social media like, a breaking news alert. Each one a tiny interruption that keeps you from settling into deep work or thought.
- The Illusion of Infinite Choice: From streaming services to online shopping, we're drowning in options. This paradoxically makes it harder to choose and often leads to buyer's remorse or the feeling that a better option existed somewhere else. It's like, you pick a movie, but then you spend half the time wondering if you should have picked another. Classic higossis.
- Comparison Culture: Scrolling through curated highlight reels on social media can make us feel like everyone else is living a more exciting, more accomplished, or simply better life. This fuels the "almost there" sensation, suggesting we're perpetually falling short.
The Paradox of Choice and the Higossis Loop
This idea of too many choices is a huge contributor. You'd think having more options would make us happier, right? But research actually shows the opposite. When faced with an overwhelming number of choices, we often feel paralyzed. We either make no choice at all, or we make one and immediately regret it, wondering if we missed out on something better. This constant second-guessing, this mental hedging, is a quintessential symptom of higossis. We're caught in a loop of anticipating, choosing, regretting, and then anticipating the next choice, never truly arriving at satisfaction.
The Personal Toll: How Higossis Drains Us
While higossis isn't an acute crisis, its chronic presence can be incredibly draining. It manifests in a few ways:
- Chronic Restlessness: You might feel a constant, low-level agitation, unable to fully relax or immerse yourself in a single activity.
- Reduced Satisfaction: Even when you do accomplish something, the shine might wear off quickly because your brain is already scanning the horizon for the next challenge or improvement.
- Difficulty Being Present: It's tough to enjoy the moment when half your mind is mentally juggling future plans, past regrets, or a dozen open browser tabs.
- Impact on Focus: Deep work becomes a battle. Our attention spans are fractured, making it hard to concentrate for extended periods on complex tasks.
It's like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in the bottom. No matter how much you pour in, you never feel truly full or settled. That's the insidious nature of higossis.
Spotting Higossis in Your Own Life (and Your Friends')
Once you know what you're looking for, you'll see higossis everywhere. You'll spot it in:
- Your own browser window with 30+ tabs open, half of which you haven't looked at in days, but you might need them.
- The friend who's always got three exciting new side hustles he's "about to launch," but none ever quite take off.
- The colleague who constantly uses phrases like, "I'll get to it," "It's on my radar," or "I'm just waiting for the right moment," and those moments rarely arrive.
- Your own tendency to pick up your phone during a quiet moment, even when you have no specific notification, just to "check."
- That slight pang of disappointment after finishing a big project or trip, because now you have to figure out what's next, and the "arrival" feeling is fleeting.
Sound familiar? Good, because recognizing it is the first, most crucial step.
Breaking Free: Navigating the Higossis Current
So, what can we do to combat this pervasive feeling? It's not about eradicating it entirely – that might be impossible in our modern world – but about managing its influence and regaining some control.
Awareness is Key
Just reading this article and nodding along is a huge start. You've put a name to the feeling, which gives you power over it.
Digital Detox & Boundaries
This isn't about throwing your phone in a river. It's about intentionality. Schedule "no-screen" times, turn off non-essential notifications, leave your phone in another room while working or spending time with loved ones. Create friction against the infinite scroll.
Embrace Imperfection & "Good Enough"
This is a big one. The pursuit of perfection often leads to paralysis. Sometimes, done is truly better than perfect. Ship that project, send that email, finish that draft, even if it's not exactly how you envisioned it. The satisfaction of completion is a powerful antidote to higossis.
Single-Tasking & Deep Work
Resist the urge to juggle. Focus on one task at a time. Close irrelevant tabs. Put your phone away. Give your full, undivided attention to what's in front of you. You'll be amazed at how much more you accomplish and how much more present you feel.
Mindfulness & Presence
Practice being in the now. Whether it's through meditation, taking a mindful walk, or simply savoring your morning coffee, train your brain to anchor itself in the present moment, rather than constantly drifting to future possibilities or past regrets.
The Power of "Done"
Actively celebrate completing tasks, no matter how small. Check things off your list with gusto. Take a moment to genuinely feel the satisfaction of having closed an open loop. This positive reinforcement helps break the higossis cycle.
Curated Consumption
Be intentional about what you consume. Don't just passively absorb endless information. Choose what you read, watch, and listen to. Unfollow accounts that make you feel inadequate. Prioritize quality over quantity.
The Long Game: Living a Higossis-Resistant Life
Ultimately, living a life less burdened by higossis isn't about avoiding the world, but about engaging with it more intentionally. It's about shifting from a mindset of endless pursuit to one of meaningful engagement and genuine contentment. It means finding joy in the present, appreciating the "here and now," and recognizing that true arrival isn't a destination, but a state of being. It's about understanding that sometimes, the best choice is the one you make, not the one you endlessly search for. And that, my friend, is a journey well worth taking.