The Problem of “Sleepwalking”

Abstract

Sleepwalking is what we do when we go through the motions, day after day, year after year, without really questioning ourselves or our circumstances. In professional terms, it is an enduring, mindless way of performing for a paycheck to pay the bills and hopefully have some extra spending money left. When you sleepwalk, you do not wonder about whether what you do is in line with what you like and, if not, how you could change it. In personal terms, it is a mindless way of dwelling, year after year, in a relationship, neighborhood, or other situation without any reflection or effort to change.

In this chapter, we explain “sleepwalking” in the context of personal and professional performance. A number of examples of sleepwalking and its effects will be shared. Within this context, sleepwalking is the opposite of being awake: moving through the motions of personal and professional life without questioning whether they still matter to us. In addition, the negative effects of sleepwalking will be revealed, along with an instrument the reader can use to evaluate whether he or she has been sleepwalking.