Text only version of NPR? What is this goodness and why don't more sites have one?!
Just adding to the list others have already started here
He felt 'creatively dead', then harnessed the power of boredom
61–70 of 75 posts
Re: He felt 'creatively dead', then harnessed the power of boredom
#62Earlier quoted context omitted.
I was fortunate to stumble upon the practice by accident. I was journaling just because, and my two dogs ensure I have plenty of solitary walks through nature. It really is incredibly important to have that time, and to maintain a curious, open mind. Likely there are other ingredients. Some sort of catalyst may be needed for the process to get into gear. (Full disclosure, I'm still partway through the book so perhaps…
I too had a journey with journaling already, but the very specific and clear parameters of the morning pages really made it click. I still actually journal on my laptop, but the purpose of journaling has become clearer. The morning pages are not intended to be read, but the journal is. > Likely there are other ingredients. Some sort of catalyst may be needed for the process to get into gear. Are you talking about the…
Thanks for sharing, that's interesting to read. I've just finished the third chapter -- but I'm really just reading through at this point, not following the course. I've just come out of a long creative project, so I'm grazing. I agree with you that the book can be off putting if you aren't in the right frame of mind. I, too, would have scoffed reading it in the past.
The catalyst comment was more my ruminating about the creative process. Like I said, I think the signal-response element is critical, but perhaps not sufficient. Could you spend years in that pattern and not experience any benefits? If so, what's the missing ingredient? I wonder...
Re: He felt 'creatively dead', then harnessed the power of boredom
#63Meta: Why are there fads like this? Like do people not see this? Everyone's suddenly so interested in how great boredom is, before this it was some other crap, then something else. I don't have a point but I just find it mildly irritating for some reason. It does make sense to collectively research things and exchange ideas but at the same time there's something off about it when it comes to mass media, like it's laz…
People have been interested in intentionally inducing boredom for literally hundreds of thousands of years (under the name "meditation"), so I think it is safe to say it is not a fad by now.
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Re: He felt 'creatively dead', then harnessed the power of boredom
#64Earlier quoted context omitted.
People have been interested in intentionally inducing boredom for literally hundreds of thousands of years (under the name "meditation"), so I think it is safe to say it is not a fad by now.
Meditation was originally used by monks to literally kill the ego/mind. It has nothing to with boredom and can become downright dangerous if practiced in excess - just look up dangers of meditation.
The ego and the mind are not the same.
Re: He felt 'creatively dead', then harnessed the power of boredom
#65I might be suffering from imposter syndrome, but I feel like I'm not the right audience for "taking advantage of boredom". I feel people who benefit from this "diffuse state" are those who already have a base level of competence in their field or challenging problems they're trying to solve, and so boredom gives their brain an opportunity to express creativity in that domain. For me, my brain is just "quiet" when bor…
I think this is a learnt skill. If you're not constantly engaging with new material, asking questions on what you're reading, learning with intent, then your brain isn't going to evolve from this baseline on its own randomly.
I say this as someone trying to move the needle towards this same thing.
Some days I am suprised at my motivation to learn new things, and questions I ask / relationships I form - much more so when i've been putting in time deliberarely practicing how I learn each day.
Re: He felt 'creatively dead', then harnessed the power of boredom
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
Welcome to the rat race. Just wait until you get the responsibilities of a manager anyway without the pay increase! Might as well fight for that title...
Work is what you make of it, you can definitely prove yourself to be competent and valuable while not becoming critical. Just be respected enough to get your yearly raise/bonus, survive layoffs and get future referrals and recommendations. Not super complicated really.
Oh you mean a chunk of the 0.1% budget set aside to be distributed across the department for salary “increases”?
Re: He felt 'creatively dead', then harnessed the power of boredom
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
I too had a journey with journaling already, but the very specific and clear parameters of the morning pages really made it click. I still actually journal on my laptop, but the purpose of journaling has become clearer. The morning pages are not intended to be read, but the journal is. > Likely there are other ingredients. Some sort of catalyst may be needed for the process to get into gear. Are you talking about the…
Thanks for sharing, that's interesting to read. I've just finished the third chapter -- but I'm really just reading through at this point, not following the course. I've just come out of a long creative project, so I'm grazing. I agree with you that the book can be off putting if you aren't in the right frame of mind. I, too, would have scoffed reading it in the past. The catalyst comment was more my ruminating about…
> If so, what's the missing ingredient? I wonder...
I see what you mean, I think personally that ingredient is belief in a higher purpose, in the sense that my creative act is not just a capricious enjoyment on my part, or even a key component of my mental health, but that it can serve a function for other people and that that is the opposite of being selfish.
I'm still coming to terms with this idea.
I'm curious about your project if you don't mind sharing. I had a moment like that a few months ago and this book reached me after that. And FWIW my friend mentioned she re-reads the book and does the exercises every year, I can see myself doing that, and it's made it easier to not berate myself for not doing all of the exercises.
Re: He felt 'creatively dead', then harnessed the power of boredom
#68Earlier quoted context omitted.
Eeh, at some point, a nepotic Manager will move resources around in a way that an IC (should be manager) will be banging head on the railing with a question why am I not calling the shots.
and often thats when you know it's time to look for a new manager (inside or outside). Most folks with competency to solve hard problems have options
Unless this kind of dysfunctional management style burns you out. The you’re dying a little every day at work and don’t have the energy or ability to look for other work.
I’ve seen this happen so many times in my career it’s not even funny.
Re: He felt 'creatively dead', then harnessed the power of boredom
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
Thanks for sharing, that's interesting to read. I've just finished the third chapter -- but I'm really just reading through at this point, not following the course. I've just come out of a long creative project, so I'm grazing. I agree with you that the book can be off putting if you aren't in the right frame of mind. I, too, would have scoffed reading it in the past. The catalyst comment was more my ruminating about…
> If so, what's the missing ingredient? I wonder... I see what you mean, I think personally that ingredient is belief in a higher purpose, in the sense that my creative act is not just a capricious enjoyment on my part, or even a key component of my mental health, but that it can serve a function for other people and that that is the opposite of being selfish. I'm still coming to terms with this idea. I'm curious abo…
That's an interesting theory and certainly meshes well with the book's thesis!
My project was a video game I co-created called "You Will Die Here Tonight." After many years, we finally shipped! I find there's something special about actually finishing work. That growth occurs up in the thin air at the summit, if you catch my drift.
Re: He felt 'creatively dead', then harnessed the power of boredom
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
> If so, what's the missing ingredient? I wonder... I see what you mean, I think personally that ingredient is belief in a higher purpose, in the sense that my creative act is not just a capricious enjoyment on my part, or even a key component of my mental health, but that it can serve a function for other people and that that is the opposite of being selfish. I'm still coming to terms with this idea. I'm curious abo…
That's an interesting theory and certainly meshes well with the book's thesis! My project was a video game I co-created called "You Will Die Here Tonight." After many years, we finally shipped! I find there's something special about actually finishing work. That growth occurs up in the thin air at the summit, if you catch my drift.
For me there's something akin to "postpartum depression" too, an achievement but an emptiness too. The summit for me is right when about to finish, not when it's released.
Congrats on the game, I know games are a lot of hard work! I love resident evil, might give it a go if it runs on linux/proton.