Getting bored is the best thing that can happen to you, believe me.
It’s those uninspiring moments that somehow turn out the most amazing ideas.
Haven’t you experienced it? You’re sitting bored, or stuck in the traffic, and you get an idea which is short of a stroke of brilliance.
Or you’re doing some insipid work at your desk, and you feel inspired to improvise your process or workflow.
Even the children feel a surge of brilliance coursing through them when they’re listlessly plonked before the TV.
That’s because when you’re bored, your brain relaxes and recharges itself.
Being an expert or master may feel exciting, inspiring, passion filled. But that’s not what fuels brilliance.
On the contrary, it hides behind the mundane routines and repetitions.
So stop demonising boredom. Look at it as a productive swamp – the more you get sucked into it, the more productive your brain will get.
Embracing boredom will soon be redefining your road to mastery.
“Boredom always precedes a period of great creativity.” – Robert M. Pirsig
Boredom Isn’t the Enemy. It’s the Gateway.
Boredom should be seen in the context of learning, practice and growth.
It’s about doing the same thing again and again and again while the results improve with each rep.
Sounds monotonous. Creates disinterest. Looks like a waste of time.
But look closer and it will reveal its secrets.
The reason you avoid getting bored is because it’s boring (ahem!) and dull.
But the actual unacknowledged reason is your dopamine addiction. Your need for instant gratification is so strong that you’re ready to sacrifice the benefits.
There’s a desperate need to see the results immediately. You no longer have the patience to wait for the outcome.
It’s a culture of instant gratification.
Your constant switching from one task, or activity, to another without waiting to explore, examine or engage with what you are doing doesn’t allow boredom to enter your life.
This quest for quick results and perpetual action repels any form of boredom.
Instead, when you’re allowing yourself to get bored, it means you’re entering into a zone of discipline and mastery.
You can’t expect to become a master without doing those boring reps.
The Role of Boredom in Building Mastery
Can you think of one thing you’re good at? How many times have you done that to gain this level of expertise?
The secret to your mastery lies in the number of repetitions.
Be it making that perfect pie crust or presentation, it needs practice.
Ask any sports person and they’ll tell you the hours they’ve put in to achieve the enviable standards.
Remember the famous quote by Thomas Edison, “I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Doing the same thing 10,000 times is definitely boring. But look at the end result.
Be it artist or sports person or scientist, they make whatever they do look so effortless and easy that you and I expect those results in the first or second attempt.
That’s definitely not happening.
Trying to excel needs you to put in hours of boring repetitions before achieving any breakthrough.
What Boredom Teaches You
That journey to excel through the boring path is the time needed to learn about yourself.
Before you excel at the chosen art, you’ve to learn about yourself.
It provides you the opportunity to discover your strengths and work on the weak areas.
It builds your patience. Without oodles of patience, there’s no way of moving forward. It’s the fuel that powers your journey to excellence.
You learn to endure even in the absence of rewards. Even when the goal post keeps moving further with every step forward.
It tests your commitment to becoming a master.
Do you really want to excel or rather move on to the next shiny object?
The boring routine teaches you discipline. You show up regardless of the motivation. It’s the fire within you that keeps you going.
There may be times when doubts creep into your tired mind. Is it a waste of time?
That’s when discipline takes over. It provides you the strength and motivation to keep going.
With every rep, you make tiny improvements that may not be immediately visible. With time, not only you but others also notice the progress.
My earliest posts were cringeworthy. I know it now when I read them. But that didn’t stop me.
What was needed for improvements was attention to details.
Whether it was my writing or something you’re working on, unless every detail of the task is not looked into, excellence is but a distant dream.
Looking into every aspect is mind-numbing and sometimes wearisome. But doing that lacklustre job is what will lead you to creating something you’ll be proud of.
Another part of your personality that boredom identifies is your mental strength.
Yes, your ability to keep going even when things feel slow and tedious needs mental strength of a different kind.
Do you think Edison must have felt bored repeating the same experiment 10,000 times? I don’t think so.
It was his resilience, commitment, and belief that kept him going. Every failure gave him a new perspective. He must’ve taken a pause to rejuvenate and refresh his mind and then come back with another brainwave to work on.
So, making boredom a part of your life is actually a good thing.
“You get ideas from day dreaming. You get ideas from being bored.” – Neil Gaiman
How to Teach Children (and Adults) Practical Ways to Embrace the Boring
You don’t have to work hard at making boredom a part of your schedule. Allow yourself to get bored. Every minute of your waking hour need not be charged with caffeine-powered action.
Whether children or adults, learn to relax and not be in a constant state of mental stimulation.
Practice consistency. Stick to schedule. Repeat it till it becomes boring.
Being consistent will get boring. Don’t quit. It will ensure results.
Build daily habits. Whether it’s writing the journal, or going to the gym, or learning a new skill. Do it daily. The more the reps, the better the outcome.
Encourage repetitions and consistency.
Don’t focus on results. It’s counterproductive as that leads to instant satisfaction and dopamine rush.
Focus on the small improvements and progress. Set up small challenges, like personal milestones, to make the progress motivating and inspiring.
Think of yourself as the unpolished diamond waiting to dazzle the world.
Conclusion: The Rite of Passage to Brilliance
The success stories you see around you are the end result.
You see those and assume the path to be smooth sailing. It’s anything but that.
If you ask that person you’ll know the real truth.
The price of brilliance is hours of boring reps. Each day was the repetition of the previous one.
Are you willing to take a step back and allow yourself to get bored? Sometimes its for the good.
Like the Italians say, il dolce far niente (I think I got it correctly). It means the sweetness of doing nothing.
