Anyone can achieve GREATNESS by being BORED

Yan Zhu
26 Jul 202409:19

Summary

TLDRIn this thought-provoking video, the speaker, Y, explores the concept of boredom as a catalyst for creativity and success. They argue that in our modern, constantly connected world, we've become so afraid of being bored that we miss out on the benefits it can bring. By embracing boredom, we enter a state of 'default mode' that can lead to innovative ideas, as illustrated by the stories of Isaac Newton and Steve Jobs. The speaker encourages viewers to reframe their approach to daily tasks, suggesting that by structuring the day to start with less stimulating activities, we can make even work feel enjoyable. They also highlight the importance of 'non-action' and the benefits of meditation, concluding that by allowing ourselves to be bored, we create space for greatness.

Takeaways

  • πŸ”’ The script begins with a hypothetical scenario of being locked in a room with only a phone and Apple's terms and conditions, highlighting how most people would choose the phone due to the stimulating nature of technology.
  • πŸ“± It suggests that the fear of boredom has led to an over-reliance on technology for constant stimulation, even to the point of reading uninteresting terms and conditions to escape the feeling of being bored.
  • 🌏 The speaker, Y, introduces the channel's theme of seeking wisdom and discusses the modern phenomenon of avoiding boredom at all costs, which contrasts with the past when people were less stimulated but less afraid of boredom.
  • 🧠 The script mentions that boredom can lead to a state of 'default mode' or 'wandering mind,' which is a fertile ground for creativity, as illustrated by the famous anecdote of Isaac Newton and the falling apple.
  • 🧘 It points out that Steve Jobs, known for his practice of meditation, attributed some of his best ideas to moments of boredom and solitude, emphasizing the value of quiet reflection.
  • 🌱 The concept of 'Wu Wei' or 'non-action' is introduced, suggesting that there is a natural pace to life that should not be disrupted by excessive action or going against the natural order.
  • πŸ“š The speaker proposes that by eliminating more stimulating activities, one might naturally turn to less preferred tasks, using the example of how reading could become enjoyable when the phone is removed.
  • 🎒 The script uses a fun scale to illustrate how the perception of fun and boredom is relative to the available options, and how removing the most stimulating option can change one's perspective on other activities.
  • 🧠 It discusses a scientific study where monks' brains showed heightened electrical activity during meditation, suggesting that doing nothing can lead to a state of joy comparable to more stimulating experiences.
  • πŸ§˜β€β™‚οΈ The speaker shares personal experience with meditation, explaining how starting with short sessions and gradually increasing the time spent in meditation can lead to increased focus and enjoyment of previously boring tasks.
  • πŸ—“οΈ The script concludes with advice on structuring one's day by ranking tasks according to their level of boredom and doing the most boring tasks first to make the rest of the day's tasks feel more enjoyable.
  • 🍎 It ends with a humorous nod to the possibility of an 'apple falling on one's head' if one allows themselves to be bored, encouraging viewers to embrace the potential for creativity and insight that comes with moments of solitude and reflection.

Q & A

  • What is the main premise of the video script?

    -The script discusses the concept of boredom and how it can be a catalyst for creativity and achieving greatness, rather than something to be avoided.

  • Why does the script suggest that people might read Apple's terms and conditions in a hypothetical scenario?

    -It illustrates the point that when all other stimulating options are removed, people might turn to activities they'd normally avoid, like reading terms and conditions, to escape boredom.

  • What does the script imply about the relationship between boredom and our daily lives?

    -The script implies that in our daily lives, we often use technology and social media to escape boredom, which may prevent us from experiencing the potential benefits of being bored.

  • What historical figure is mentioned in the script to exemplify the point about boredom leading to creativity?

    -Isaac Newton is mentioned as an example of someone who, according to the story, experienced a moment of creativity (the falling apple) while he was bored and not actively seeking stimulation.

  • How does the script relate Steve Jobs to the concept of boredom?

    -Steve Jobs is mentioned as a practitioner of meditation, which the script equates to a form of boredom where he could have his best ideas, suggesting that embracing boredom can lead to creative insights.

  • What is the term 'Wu Wei' mentioned in the script, and what does it signify?

    -'Wu Wei' is a Chinese concept that translates to 'non-action' or 'not doing,' signifying the idea of following nature's pace and not forcing actions against natural rhythms.

  • How does the script suggest we should approach tasks we find boring?

    -The script suggests that by eliminating more stimulating activities, we naturally choose to do the boring tasks, which can lead to increased productivity and focus.

  • What is the script's perspective on the idea that 'boredom is relative'?

    -The script posits that the perception of boredom is relative to the available options for stimulation; if more stimulating options are removed, less stimulating activities can become enjoyable.

  • How does the script relate meditation to the experience of joy?

    -The script refers to a scientific study where monks experienced a burst of electrical activity in their brains during meditation, suggesting that meditation can lead to a state of joy comparable to other pleasurable experiences.

  • What is the script's advice for structuring one's day to make tasks feel more enjoyable?

    -The script advises ranking daily tasks by their level of boredom and doing the most boring tasks first to make subsequent tasks feel more enjoyable by comparison.

  • What does the script suggest as a method to reset one's baseline stimulation during the day?

    -The script suggests a 'mini reset' through a brief period of meditation to minimize baseline stimulation, making it easier to resist the urge to constantly seek stimulation from phones or social media.

Outlines

00:00

πŸ“± Escaping Boredom Through Technology

The speaker introduces the topic by setting a hypothetical scenario where one is locked in a room with a phone and Apple's terms and conditions. They suggest that most people would initially choose the phone due to its stimulating nature. The narrative then shifts to discuss the fear of boredom in modern society, where social media and smartphones provide constant stimulation. The speaker mentions historical figures like Isaac Newton and Steve Jobs, who achieved greatness through periods of solitude and reflection, suggesting that boredom can be a catalyst for creativity and innovation. The video encourages viewers to embrace boredom as a means to unlock creativity and achieve greatness.

05:00

πŸ§˜β€β™‚οΈ Embracing Boredom for Enhanced Productivity

The second paragraph delves into the concept of 'wu wei' or non-action, emphasizing the importance of aligning with natural rhythms and avoiding excessive busyness. The speaker shares personal experiences with meditation, illustrating how it has helped to increase focus and make mundane tasks more enjoyable. They propose a daily routine structure based on the level of boredom associated with each task, suggesting that starting the day with less enjoyable activities can make subsequent tasks feel more rewarding. The speaker also advises on resetting one's baseline stimulation through short meditation sessions to prevent falling into the trap of mindless scrolling on social media. The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to seek wisdom and embrace the potential of boredom for personal growth and creativity.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Boredom

Boredom is defined as a state of being weary or uninterested due to a lack of stimulation. In the video's theme, it is portrayed as a potentially beneficial state that can lead to creativity and deep thinking. The script uses the example of Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree, which is a metaphor for how boredom can lead to profound insights and discoveries.

πŸ’‘Stimulation

Stimulation refers to the act of exciting or provoking activity in something or someone. The video discusses how modern society is constantly seeking stimulation through devices like iPhones and social media, which can lead to a fear of boredom. The script contrasts this with the benefits of allowing oneself to experience boredom.

πŸ’‘Defa Mode

Defa Mode, also known as the default mode network, is a network of brain regions that are active when a person is not focused on the outside world. The video suggests that when we are bored, we enter this mode, which can lead to a burst of creativity. The script uses this concept to illustrate how moments of boredom can be valuable for generating new ideas.

πŸ’‘Meditation

Meditation is a practice of focusing the mind and achieving a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. The video highlights Steve Jobs as an example of someone who used meditation to foster creativity and generate ideas. The script also suggests that meditation can help one to manage and appreciate boredom.

πŸ’‘Wu Wei

Wu Wei is a Chinese concept that translates to 'non-action' or 'effortless doing'. It is about aligning with the natural flow of things rather than forcing actions. The video uses Wu Wei to explain how embracing boredom and not constantly seeking stimulation can lead to a more balanced and productive life.

πŸ’‘Creativity

Creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas to produce something new and valuable. The video's main theme is that boredom can be a catalyst for creativity, as it allows the mind to wander and make unexpected connections, as illustrated by the stories of Isaac Newton and Steve Jobs.

πŸ’‘Escape

Escape, in the context of the video, refers to the avoidance of boredom through the use of technology and social media. The script argues that instead of escaping boredom, one should embrace it as a means to achieve greatness and foster creativity.

πŸ’‘Terms and Conditions

The script humorously suggests that in a scenario with no other stimulation, one might resort to reading the 'terms and conditions' of a product, like Apple's. This serves as an example of how even mundane tasks can become engaging when there is a lack of other options, highlighting the relative nature of what is considered 'boring' or 'fun'.

πŸ’‘Relative Fun

Relative Fun is a concept introduced in the video to explain how the perception of what is enjoyable can change based on the available alternatives. The script uses this idea to suggest that by eliminating more stimulating options, one can find enjoyment in tasks they previously found boring.

πŸ’‘Meditative State

A meditative state is a state of deep relaxation and focus that is achieved through meditation. The video references a scientific study where monks' brains showed a significant increase in electrical activity during meditation, suggesting that the meditative state can be as rewarding as other pleasurable experiences.

πŸ’‘Daily Routine

The video suggests structuring one's daily routine by ranking tasks according to their level of boredom to make them more enjoyable. It uses the example of starting the day with exercise, which is considered boring, to make work seem more enjoyable in comparison.

Highlights

People often choose the most stimulating option available, such as a phone, over less engaging options like reading Apple's terms and conditions.

Boredom can drive people to engage with otherwise unappealing tasks.

Modern society fears boredom more than previous generations did.

Boredom isn't just about having nothing to do; it's about feeling that nothing is worth doing.

Social media and smartphones provide constant stimulation, making it hard for people to experience boredom.

Boredom can lead to bursts of creativity and problem-solving, as seen in historical figures like Isaac Newton and Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs practiced daily meditation, which he credited for some of his best ideas.

The concept of 'wu wei' (non-action) suggests that not doing anything excessive or going against nature can be beneficial.

Eliminating more stimulating distractions can make less stimulating tasks more engaging.

Changing the order of tasks based on their level of boredom can make work feel more enjoyable.

Practicing meditation can help reset the brain's baseline stimulation level.

A study showed that monks experienced high levels of electrical brain activity during meditation, which can bring joy similar to other pleasurable activities.

Structuring your day with tasks ordered by their level of boredom can make each task feel more engaging.

Taking short breaks for meditation can help reset your brain's stimulation level if you get distracted by social media.

Embracing boredom can stimulate creativity and lead to greater achievements.

Transcripts

play00:00

imagine you are locked up by a crazy

play00:02

scientist in an empty room and in front

play00:04

of you there is a phone and Apple's

play00:07

terms and conditions which one will pick

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most people will go for the phone since

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it is the most stimulating scene we have

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available now imagine the crazy

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scientist just got crazier that he takes

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away the phone now what would you do you

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may wander around in the room for a few

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minutes but eventually you will start to

play00:24

read that terms and conditions but why

play00:27

ladies and gentlemen welcome to my

play00:28

channel my name is y and I seek wisdom

play00:30

from east to the West nowadays we are

play00:33

less bored than our ancestor but we are

play00:35

more afraid of being bored than our

play00:37

ancesters in a previous example you even

play00:40

want to read our terms and conditions

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you are just doing it to escape the bord

play00:45

bord isn't just sitting in an empty room

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with nothing to do it is the feeling

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that you look at you to do this and

play00:52

nothing feel worth doing you our daily

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lives no matter if you're waiting in

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line for your coffee or commuting to

play00:58

work or sitting on a bench in a park the

play01:00

Escape is right in your pocket Facebook

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Twitter Instagram YouTube you name it

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before you realize you are deep down

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into the rabbit hole of arguing whether

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Batman can be Superman as the legendary

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investor D once said I think it was

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Pascal he said you know all of man's

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problems arise because you cannot sit by

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himself in a room for 30 minutes alone

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and it's very true I always needed to be

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stimulated and when the iPhone came

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along boredom was dead I would never be

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bored again I even if I'm stand standing

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in line I'm on my iPhone and I thought

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it was great and that's the scary choose

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although we all hate the feeling of

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being bored it actually can be very

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helpful and sometimes necessary to

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achieve greatness when we are bored our

play01:42

bring enter the defa mode which I call

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the wandering around mold that leads to

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a burst of creativity for example Isaac

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newon as the story go newon was once

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sitting underneath apple tree B of his

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mind where suddenly an apple fall and

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hit his head if new live in today's

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world he probably would toss the Apple

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away and continue watching YouTube about

play02:04

quantum physics who knows another

play02:07

example that is closer to us is Steve

play02:09

Jobs as many of you may know jobs is a

play02:12

big practitioner of meditation in fact

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in his house there is a giant room with

play02:18

practically no Furnitures inside where

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Steve Jobs practiced daily meditation in

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it rubers have said that some of his

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best idea actually came from the period

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of him being bought in that room so to

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achieve greatness you shouldn't escape

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the bord you should Escape into bord

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bordon isn't just about sparking

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creativity it also means that we

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shouldn't be busy all the time there's a

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cic d and called W it literally

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translate to non action and not do it

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it's like the Nature has its own way to

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govern how things should work and we

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should only follow that pace not doing

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anything too excessive or going against

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it for example we can't go against our

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human nature I think we all have the

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experience of sticking to good habits

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for a few days and snap back to the bad

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ones so we shouldn't Force ourself to do

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the boring task instead by eliminating

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the more stimulating things we naturally

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choose to do the boring task L the

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founder of Da is a practiced way for his

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entire life he refused to serve the

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imperor nor work as a farmer he wasn't

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even willing to write a book about th is

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yet he achieved the level of greatness

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that most people would never be able to

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ining L wrote Nature does not hurry yet

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everything is accomplished here's the

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interesting fact fun is relative imagine

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this is what's going on in your brain

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everything can be wrecked according to

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the level of fun it is or how

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stimulating it is so work is probably

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around here like minus 5 right this is

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how boring work is maybe you have

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something like uh playing with your

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phone cool and maybe reading to me it's

play04:12

like a plus three

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file okay this is

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reading now here's the interesting thing

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um if I just have these three options on

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the table I will immediately be drawn to

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playing with my phone because this is

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the most stimulating thing that is at

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the the mo however if I pull my phone

play04:32

away so I am literally telling my brain

play04:36

that I'm going to eliminate this option

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okay so there's no longer this line now

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look what happens reading becomes the

play04:44

most stimulating or the funnest thing to

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do for really anything can be fun and

play04:50

anything can be boring it just depends

play04:52

on what other options we have at that

play04:55

moment if you always stimul yourself for

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10 hours of course walk will be bor

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but if you just sit there and meditate

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for 10 hours not that you can really do

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it but if you did you will be like

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somebody please give me something to do

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any work I don't care just give me some

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work to do just like the example at the

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very beginning you actually want to read

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appos terms and cous because it's better

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than doing nothing if you are able to

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make yourself so damn bored you will

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realize that Bor is actually kind of fun

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in a scientific study a group of 22 monk

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were invited to to have their brain

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scanned while they do meditation as soon

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as they began to meditate there was a

play05:35

huge burst of electrical activity about

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700 to 800 on the monitors this break

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activity lasts throughout the entire

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meditation session and carry on for the

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rest of the day this means that if you

play05:49

just sit there and do nothing you can

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experience the same level of joy as

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having sex obviously it taking years to

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practice however a single 10 minutes a

play06:00

day can make a huge difference to you I

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myself have practiced meditation for a

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couple years already I used to score on

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my phone all day long and wasn't able to

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focus on the boring task that I knew

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would lead to my success but then I

play06:15

practiced meditation start with 2

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minutes a day already tough but

play06:19

gradually I was able to add the minutes

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to 3 minutes 5 minutes and now I'm able

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to sit in the room with no distraction

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at all for 30 minutes so thanks to

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meditation being so worry that it

play06:33

actually makes other works so much fun

play06:37

therefore you just have to structure

play06:39

your day in the correct order first list

play06:42

out everything you need to do for the

play06:43

day for me it's like work um exercise

play06:49

reading and let's say meditation

play06:51

obviously your list will be different

play06:53

from M also it can change from day to

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day now let's rank them according to the

play06:58

level of B order this can be very

play07:00

personal to me reading is actually fun

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so I will put it on the

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top and the exercise to me is kind of

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boring so let's go down the list

play07:12

obviously meditation is the most boring

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one and then leave world to be somewhere

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around here cool now let's pick out the

play07:23

most important thing from this list to

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me work is the most important thing so

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to make work fun I need to do something

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more boring than work beforehand for

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example exercise and that's why I start

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my day with some joging and taii in this

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way I'm able to set the level border to

play07:45

a very low level that work afterwards

play07:49

become actually fun to me and then

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throughout the day since work is

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relatively boring then reading becomes

play07:57

relatively fun and if you plan your day

play08:00

according to the level of bden all tasks

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should feel fun to you because you know

play08:06

what fun is relative all right there is

play08:09

a catch say I just happen to scroll

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social media during the day what I'm

play08:13

going to do now well you can do what I

play08:17

call a mini reset like a 5 minutes

play08:20

meditation this will help you to reset

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your Baseline stimulation to the very

play08:25

minimum so next time we feel the sub

play08:28

minut each to p your phone and vanish

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into the btics OR viral video maybe take

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a second to let yourself be bored

play08:36

instead of swiping through your feet

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just sit back and relax maybe an apple

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will fall out to your head too who knows

play08:44

as elow Einstein set the monotony and

play08:47

Solitude of a quiet life stimulates the

play08:51

creative mind if you are able to watch

play08:53

until the end of this boring video

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congratulations you've just created a

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little space in your brain and you are

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just one step closer to achieve

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greatness if you enjoy this video

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chances are you might also want check

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out this video about effess action if

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you're a wiom Seeker like me please give

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me a sound upop subscribe to our Channel

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and turn on the notification Bell I'm

play09:17

Fati my friend

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Related Tags
Boredom BenefitsCreativityMeditationProductivityMindfulnessSuccess HabitsInspirationSelf-ImprovementLife BalanceTech Detox