The Power of Boredom: Perhaps We Are All Geniuses Buried by the Entertainment of the Digital Age

I recently met two online friends who deeply inspired me: one creates stunning watercolor paintings, while the other consistently publishes a high-quality newsletter each week. In this age filled with temptations, they’ve chosen creation over consumption, carving out time and space for what they love. Their focus and passion have made me reflect on my own daily choices. Am I truly choosing to create?

We live in an attention war waged by companies and startups. Behind every public company are thousands of engineers trying to make you look at their products just a little longer, all to earn more money for shareholders and capitalism. I was once one of those engineers, so I understand how powerless individuals feel when facing these deliberately addictive services and apps. Short videos, social media updates, instant messaging—they’re like endless slot machines, releasing small doses of dopamine that make us addicted yet never satisfied.

Netflix’s CEO has publicly stated that their competition is “users’ sleep time.” Countless times, I’ve sacrificed sleep to binge-watch shows just to know how they end. But think about it: if we’re unwilling to give time to something as essential as sleep, how can we possibly make time for other equally important things?

I often wonder: if Newton, Picasso, or Mozart were alive today, would they become the legends we know? Or would they, like most of us, become addicted to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Netflix, mobile games, anime, or online novels? With entertainment so abundant, addictive, and available 24/7 all year round, accessible instantly anywhere and anytime, I believe that even these great historical figures would have fallen victim to their allure.

Imagine it: Newton playing mobile games, Picasso obsessed with the latest anime series, Mozart scrolling through feeds all night. If that apple had hit Newton while he was staring at his phone screen, would the course of science be completely different today?

Fortunately, this didn’t happen because they lived in an “boring” era—a time when there were no TVs and people had to create their own entertainment. Perhaps it was precisely this boredom that made them geniuses.

Are countless potential geniuses around us being buried by our era? While developing numerous channels of entertainment, have we also affected humanity’s overall creativity? Think about it:

• That colleague who spends three hours a day scrolling through short videos—if they dedicated that time to mastering a skill, might they already be an expert in their field?
• That friend addicted to mobile games—if she directed that focus toward creation, might she have already published a novel?
• That neighbor who watches shows until late at night—if he explored his own thoughts instead, might he have discovered ideas that could change the world?

I’ve determined countless times that I want to be a Creator, not a Consumer. Creation may be difficult, but it brings a satisfaction that consumption can never match. It gives my life genuine fulfillment.

I often think about what I’ll reflect on from my deathbed. I’m certain it won’t be, “Ah, all those dramas and anime I watched were so good, I have no regrets!” On the contrary, the achievements I’ll be most proud of will definitely be related to creation, not consumption.

But honestly, even understanding this principle, I still often choose to mindlessly consume YouTube videos and internet content while lying around. My brain is accustomed to choosing the effortless option. Creation requires effort, while consumption is easy. This struggle is a contradiction I face every day.

I’ve gradually realized: boredom isn’t the enemy but a catalyst for creativity. I firmly believe that if I can make myself bored enough, I’ll be more willing to do those things mentioned in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”—things that are “important but not urgent” yet I find most difficult to do.

Now, I’m trying to create some “intentional boredom” in my life. I’ve deleted the most distracting apps from my phone and closed my Facebook and Instagram accounts. When walking, washing dishes, or hanging laundry, I try not to immediately reach for my phone or AirPods to listen to podcasts, instead letting my thoughts wander freely. When playing with my kids, I try to leave my phone behind and fully engage in those games I once considered “childish and boring” and read fairy tales with them. Surprisingly, my best ideas often emerge during these “boring” gaps.

I’ve also restarted my daily meditation practice—using fragments of time to sit and focus on my breathing for 30 minutes. This might be one of the most “boring” activities in the world, right? Interestingly, this deliberate boredom is itself a practice that teaches me how to coexist with discomfort and how not to be controlled by my impulses. In this world that constantly demands immediate gratification, learning to tolerate boredom might be the greatest gift we can give ourselves. I’m not aiming for some grand enlightenment, but if I can adapt to this kind of boredom and sit for longer periods, well, I’ll basically be invincible.

I almost certainly won’t become a world-changing, eternally famous Newton, Picasso, or Mozart. But at least I can try to make my life a little more boring, consume less endless content, and become the creator of my own life rather than a passive consumer. Because that genius buried by entertainment might be waiting inside you and me, waiting to be awakened.