on point

"On point" might be my favorite positive descriptor for someone. I've used it to describe myself, and now 2 groups of people in 2 different cities have used it to describe me as well, which is flattering.

Being on point is a very specific thing. It means you are aware as you can be of what's going on, and what's about to happen. However, it doesn't mean you aren't also daydreaming. You couldn't be driving your car and only thinking "I'm operating heavy machinery. I'm driving. Watch for dangers. I'm operating heavy machinery..." or you'd lose your mind, and be very much not on point thereafter.

There is a type of person that is completely absorbed in what they're doing, but that's not the same thing. They typically lose perspective. Because if you're concentrating on drying laundry, you'll become very upset when your clothes come out still wet. When things are emotionalized as such, that person who was once on point is now just melodramatic.

There is also the "space case" oriented individual, who isn't easily upset by the material world, but is also not competent. It's nice to be in your own world all the time, but if the outside world is neglected too often/much then it tends to disrupt your dream world very aggressively, and could sometimes be dangerous.

Being on point is not a middleground, but being both extremes essentially at the same time. Not only is the person giving their whole effort into what they're doing, but they are remembing the big picture at the same time, so they are not over-stressed.

An easy way to classify someone in a group is to see what happens when they make a mistake. The melodramatic person will become extremely upset, the space case will not notice, and the person who fixes it with ease is on point.

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Interesting aside: to go to sleep, I typically try to see how many thoughts/processes of a different nature I can juggle simultaneously. I'll start counting or reciting the alphabet, while dreaming of a beautiful landscape and imaging colored shapes. Any 3 things can be juggled. I can't do more than that without becoming self-aware, but I speculate that it's good practice to be on point and at the same time, It puts me out like a light.