We love flash.
Flash is cool. Flash is glamourous. Flash stands out.
Flash invokes our fantasies and impacts our behavior. After all, we want to be cool, to be glamourous, to stand out.
This fascination with shiny objects is the catalyst for our salacious culture and for our waning attention spans. It’s what created the 24-hour celebrity news cycle, the Oregon Ducks’ jersey series and the term “Trending on Twitter.” It made materialism, and its associated habitual overindulgence both acceptable and expected.
Plus, flash is irresistible. Just say that name out loud. Flash. Doesn’t it sound like a red Ferrari zipping by? And who wouldn’t want a Ferrari?
I mean, long before the Internet was a thing, and even before hundreds of channels filled our cable boxes, we had Flash Gordon, and that mesmerizing theme song by Queen.
Yes, flash has been in for so long that even our parents thought it was cool. And somehow that fact doesn’t diminish our fascination with it.
But here’s the thing: Flash won’t last.
It is, by its very nature, a one-time attraction. A fleeting moment of glory. An adrenaline high.
Life is too long to base off of flash. And those that try — by drawing themselves to the bright lights over and over — all too often end up empty inside.
Indeed, everything from gambling addiction to personal bankruptcy can all too often be directly attributed to flash. We find ourselves consumed.
Like moths to a flame, only ashes remain.
This is not the way to be. We don’t build our houses with Styrofoam. So we shouldn’t build our lives out of a sensation that ends up in the dumpster just as quickly.
We must instead focus on substance.
Now, making this point is a hard sell. After all, substance is bland, dry and unremarkable. It requires dedication, hard work and consistency.
Still, while shifting to substance is bitter pill to swallow, it’s an essential dose to take. For even though substance doesn’t sparkle like flash, it can make you to shine in the long run.
Think of substance as the process of unearthing a diamond. It demands introspection and perseverance, but can lead to a lasting gleam.
It means being true to ourselves and staying the course. Doubling down on what’s essential and cutting out the distractions.
It ensures our messages are filled solely with meaning, and not overloaded with metaphors. (Sorry y’all. Still behind on practicing what I preach.)
This is what we should strive for. This is what we should be.
Substance over flash. It’s the only way.