Stop Living a Whack-A-Mole Existence

When I was a kid, my favorite game at the amusement park was Whack-a-Mole.

There was something satisfying about the challenge, the quick reflexes, and the tiny burst of accomplishment when I managed to hit every mole before it disappeared.

I was fully engaged in the game—laughing, determined, always ready for the next one to pop up.

I had no idea I would grow up to create a Whack-a-Mole life—one that felt far less fun.

“Handling it” became a way of life

For years, I moved through my days in a constant state of reaction. Just as I handled one challenge, another would pop up.

I put out fires, juggled responsibilities, and worked tirelessly to keep up—believing that if I just worked a little harder, I could finally stay ahead.

Just like in the game, the moles never stopped coming.

There was always another demand. Another crisis. Another thing to do.

At a recent retreat, a physician said, “I just want to stop living a Whack-a-Mole existence.”

She was always reacting, always busy, always exhausted. She wanted to step out of the cycle—to stop feeling like she was chasing something she could never catch.

I immediately got it.

Constant reaction is “expensive.”

This way of living takes a toll. It’s depleting.

It disconnects us from ourselves, from our purpose, and from joy.

We move from task to task, responsibility to responsibility, checking boxes, fixing problems, responding to what’s urgent instead of pausing to ask what’s important.

We tell ourselves that if we can just handle everything quickly enough, we’ll eventually reach a place of ease.

But that place never arrives.

The moles just keep coming.

Life doesn’t have to be played like this

Stepping out of the game doesn’t mean abandoning responsibility. It doesn’t mean ignoring what needs your attention.

It means shifting from reaction to presence. It means noticing the moment when you’re about to instinctively whack…and choosing instead to pause, breathe, and respond from intention.

In life, not every mole needs to be hit.

Some will disappear on their own. Some aren’t yours to handle. Some can wait.

What changes when you stop whacking?

When we stop playing Whack-a-Mole with our lives, we create space. We move differently—with more clarity and calm.

We make decisions with intention rather than urgency. We stop rushing, stop gripping so tightly, stop believing we have to do everything immediately, perfectly, at all costs.

I don’t play Whack-a-Mole anymore. Not at amusement parks, and not in my life.

I choose instead to step back, notice, breathe, and respond only when—and where—it truly matters.

Life is so much better.

If this resonates, coaching helps you step out of the game and build a calmer, more sustainable way to live and work.