It is hard to imagine being bored in this day and age. Between radio, television, video games, smart phones, twitter and youtube we are constantly bombarded with information from all sides. How does this affect our creativity?
The creation of something where there was nothing requires significant perspective and vision, both of which are difficult if not impossible to achieve when we are distracted. Yes, while the many stimuli of today’s world are interesting and exciting, they are also distracting.
The beauty of the internet and smart phone apps are that they give us endless choices of surroundings and stimulation. If one web page is uninteresting, we simply click to another and another until we find something to stimulate us.
The big problem is that the more we seek stimulation externally, the less we seek it or even recognize it from within. If we are used to reading about great ideas in the New York Times we will have difficulty seeing a great idea that comes from our own mind.
Boredom is not a problem. It is the hole in which a building is built. It may seem like a step backward at the time: “I want to build up, why am I digging this hole down?!” But without the hole your building will have no stability.
Take a day or two away from the constant stimulation of the internet and television. Let yourself become bored. You will soon find that boredom is not the end, it is the beginning of individual creativity. When you create the vacuum in your mind, it will fill itself with ideas and thoughts. You will be overwhelmed with things to create.
Picasso said “Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.” Let your mind wander. Let it be quiet. That is the road to creativity.
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