Much of my life has been spent in pursuit of sitting. I’d like to say I did something more with my time, but I can’t honestly admit to a more lofty goal than the desire to do nothing. And I was really bored.
Not the rainy day Saturday bored, but the kind of bored that makes you want to do nothing else.
I don’t think I’m alone in my boredom
A lot of people I talk to experience something similar but they have an internal fortitude that allows them to barely make it through. Most people just press on, trying not to dwell on how bored they are.
Boredom stems from a lack of conflict
Conflict is different than drama. Drama is like conflict but doesn’t go anywhere. Conflict must be overcome and won over, we have to defeat it in order to get what we want. Wherever you find great conflict, a great story is sure to follow.
Do you want great conflict?
If your goal is to sit, there isn’t much conflict there. You will probably achieve your goals quickly and consistently.
But not much is won or lost, so the story is not a great one, it’s boring. Would you pay $12 to go see a two hour movie about a guy who’s whole ambition was to sit?
What about someone who is trying to save a country from an evil dictator? Maybe you would and maybe you wouldn’t go see that, but at least the story is more interesting than the sitting guy. The stakes are greater, therefore the story is better.
You can live a better story too
You don’t have to overthrow despotic tyrants to have a great story, but you do have to do something, to want something, to pursue something. If you don’t choose what you want or you choose but don’t pursue, there is no conflict and your story is a bad one.
No one pays to hear about your life because you don’t have real conflict, you are not doing something that’s hard.
So, what are you doing? What are you pursuing? Is it hard or impossible? Good.
Nobody cares what you say, it’s only what you do that matters. Do something awesome, stop your life from sucking, and ramp up the conflict. And please stop sitting around…
