It is okay to be a little boring…
It is okay to be a little boring
I recently heard someone answer the question: How is it going? with the word “boring”. I thought this was such a raw and interesting way of describing his recent experiences. Boring is defined as not interesting or exciting, tedious, monotonous or dull. Essentially, there is nothing that gets the engines roaring. Nothing to write home about. When asked to elaborate the individual said “This isn’t bad, the groundwork is done”.
It’s during the boring times that our focus and commitment are tested. It is boring getting up at the same time every morning to train – but it tests our commitment to a healthier version of ourselves. It is boring saying no to a night out when we have an early morning deadline on a sales presentation that could change the direction of our business – but that is where we test our commitment to making a success of our business. The consistent choice is boring – but it is in the consistency where the magic of marginal gains lies.
PJ has been training to run the Cape Town Marathon (which he ran and survived last weekend – well done!). He didn’t just get up and go run a 42km race. He spent months steadily placing one foot in front of another, consistently and diligently, and at times quite boringly, to train for the race. It was hard to remain focused and keep the end goal in sight. But once the groundwork was done, he was able to endure the “boring”, to maintain his focus and get the job done.
When things get tough, it is the boring work we have already done that has built the foundation to sustain our progress. In training for a marathon or any endurance event, a large portion of training is actually called “built endurance sessions” – these sessions are not interesting or exciting in any way – they just require you to put in the time and effort. Now we know that feeling bored is not great and it is something that everyone tries to avoid as much as possible. But, a large part of life is made up of things that require repetition if we are to make any progress.
So the next time you experience “the boring” remind yourself of the following:
- See it as a challenge to find and feed your focus. Be careful of the “shiny object syndrome” that aims to distract and remove focus around every corner. The grass is not always greener on the other side.
- Do the next thing. Take care of the next thing on your plate. Focus on putting one foot in front of the other – and don’t get ahead of yourself.
- Notice your progress. Acknowledge how consistent effort, and trusting the process, have got you to where you are now. Celebrate it!
- Don’t go it alone. Do you have a trusted friend that you can talk to, someone who will ask the hard questions and call your BS? It’s easy to rationalize our short-sighted decisions when we get isolated. Having access to an outside voice that provides a helpful perspective can be invaluable.
We live in a world of constant distraction, that promises and expects quick solutions and overnight success. Your personal experience will tell you that these things don’t actually exist (much like an Irish World Cup semi-finalist). Use this as confirmation that it is okay to be a little boring. Stick with it. Trust your process.
If you are having a difficult time getting rid of distraction or finding a process that works for you, get in touch. You can reach us at info@purposeworks.co.za.
At PurposeWorks we are all about Making You and Your Work Rock. Our focus is on Organisational Health and Design, Employee Centered Culture, Leadership Development and Performance Coaching. For more information on how we can help you create a work environment that rocks, develop a great team, become an inspiring leader or unlock your personal excellence talk to us at info@purposeworks.co.za.
