Avoid boring people. That’s the title of a book I read recently, a memoir by the Nobel Prize winner James Watson. He co-discovered the structure of DNA and birthed molecular biology as we know it.
I wasn’t sure whether the title meant to avoid boring other people, or to avoid interacting with boring people. Either way, it’s a great title. The book itself is too long, and reads too much like a personal journal – too much material only he or people closely involved with his life would understand. It did have a couple good pieces of advice, and if nothing else it showcased him as a dick. As always, people who are successful, are dicks. Sidenote – nothing wrong with being a dick, I plan on being successful. I’m just saying.
Anyways, something I’ve been worried about recently, is that I’m boring. Looking at my life – I wake up, take the bus to work, read some books, work in a lab where I’m not thrilled by my projects, take the bus home, hit the gym, write a little, and spend some time with my wife.
And really, the most frustrating part is that I’m not doing a particularly excellent job at any of them.
It’s not a terrible life, in fact, it’s pretty idyllic in a sense, and it’s definitely comfortable. I could probably ride cruise control like this for a long time. But at the same time, I’m struggling to find meaning in a lot of my life, and frankly it just feels boring.
I’ve had this same feeling several times before, a classic emotion that typifies the modern 20’s. Not then nor now do I know what to do, other than to complain to anybody who will listen.
In Avoid Boring People, James Watson’s biggest piece of advice was: To avoid becoming boring, avoid being bored.
One thing that comes to mind immediately – another book I read recently was called Walk on Water, which was an exposé into the world of pediatric cardiac surgery, one of the most demanding professions in the world.
A quote from the book:
“You cannot lie in this work. There are so many people in this world who have no idea who the fuck they are. When you do this work your entire body is charged with it.”
The resounding point throughout the Walk on Water is that heart surgeons know that heart surgery matters. They take their work seriously, and they are obsessed with it.
When you take anything so seriously as to push your absolute limits – mentally, physically, emotionally, it reveals the character deep inside of you. Recently, I haven’t been challenged to see that part of me, and confront my real identity.
So pushing yourself, and finding a place in life where you really know who you are, and what you’re about, is necessary to feel engaged in life. And, of course, to not be boring.
But anyways, I’m trying to figure out, how can I be less boring? I’d love to hear some thoughts from anyone who isn’t bored with their lives.
See you on the other side,
from ken
Feel free to comment! I would love to hear your thoughts.
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