To reach elite levels, athletes have to practice the same skill, such as free-throw
shooting, many times.AND THIS CAN MAKE
YOU MORE CREATIVE?
Absolutely! h ink of boredom
as a signal that you have
time to think, daydream, or
imagine. h ink of athletes or
musicians who do the same
things over and over again.
How do they not get bored?
h ey use their imaginations.
h ey focus on some very
specii c problem in their
performance or imagine how
they’ll use the skill they’re
practicing in a game.
SO THEY DON’T THINK,
“IF I HAVE TO DRIBBLE
UP AND DOWN THIS
COURT AGAIN, I THINK
I’LL DIE”?
Right. h e greatest do what
psychologists call “deliberate
practice.” h e ones who
learn how to do this become
the stars.
MAYBE I CAN BE THE
NEXT MOZART OR
RUSSELL WESTBROOK
IF I RESPOND TO
BORING TIMES MORE
IMAGINATIVELY?
OK, I’LL TRY. BUT IS
BOREDOM ALWAYS A
GOOD THING?
Not always. If you’re bored
when you should be paying
attention, that can be
dangerous—it could lead to
accidents or poor decisions.
LET’S GET PERSONAL. DO YOU EVER GET BORED?
Yes, but I’m bored by far fewer things and situations than I used to
be. And strange as it sounds, I appreciate boredom more. It feels
like an opportunity, not a waste.SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE TAKING YOUR OWN ADVICE
TO HEART.
h e more you know about how your mind works and how to best
use it, the better your life—including the boring times—will be.Peg Lopata is a freelance writer living and mind-wandering in
southern Vermont.