A Dudely Pursuit of Boredom

I have recently noticed a rising trendency (did you see what I just did there?) among myself and my peers to shun certain activities simply because they have been deemed unpleasant or "boring." For many men, it is enjoyable to develop talents like their golf game, fitness, mechanical or carpentry skill, or spend time developing relationships. Young men in particular seem to seek a constant state of thrill and stimulation. It is quite another thing however, to develop their mind and soul. Personally, I much prefer rafting or skiing to reading a book or listening to a lecture. Similarly, I would rather play a game of whiffle ball in my back yard with friends than discuss the theological implications of the sovereignty of God. I have become increasingly critical of myself in this area, and I thought my fellow dudes could benefit from my musings on the subject. In a potentially vain effort to increase readership through decreased post length, I have simmered my remarks down into three dudezortations.

1). Eliminate "boring" as an excuse.

Some of the most beneficial activities in life involve no action, thrill, excitement or competition. Reading non-fiction, listening to a lecture or sermon, or discussing something of value with a friend all develop important areas of our lives. I have sworn to quit using "that's boring" as a reason not to do something. Instead, a better question is "Is this the best use of my time?" I recently went to Washington D.C. with my brother. He needed to visit a museum for one of his classes and he chose the Smithsonian Museum of Native American History. To me, it sounded extremely boring and lame. It combined my two of my least favorite things: museums and history. I was surprised to find the experience both interesting and enjoyable (who knew Indians used tomahawk pipes?).

2). Broaden your Horizons.

As cliche as that sounds, I believe it is important to learn about things that do not interest us. For example, I have very little interest in history - but I am attempting to cultivate an appreciation for it by reading biographies. We need to stop relegating ourselves to tiny cove of our personal interests and explore the ocean of knowledge and experience beyond our preferences.

3). Plan Boring Things

I have discovered that I will not do something I dread unless I put it on my schedule. Thus, I believe it is critical to set aside time to read, visit museums, or attend a lecture. If we don't take the time to plan these activities, the desire for excitement and thrill will take the controls and steer us away from valuable and rewarding pursuits.

Dude out,

-C.R.