Good at what you do, but bored and unsatisfied?
You are bored and unsatisfied in your work. But, not only that – it is always been the same story – no matter your circumstances – applying your abilities isn’t enough and you have never been able to find the thing that actually really engages you.
What is play here? Why have you been stuck in boredom? It isn’t for the want of ability!
Could it be that you have some hidden intensity that is too challenging for you to face? Maybe you have some deeply held, but hidden beliefs, that certain aspects of you are unacceptable, dangerous, or just too scary to approach yourself, not to mind unleashing them on the world? Simply asking yourself this question is a good place to start.
Those who have this background level of boredom, frequently don’t recognise their own intensity. I know that this was my story. When a friend described me as intense, I was shocked and disbelieving at first. However, I soon began to recognise signs that this is in fact true.
POSSIBLE SIGNS OF HIDDEN INTENSITY
- You feel things deeply – maybe even being deeply miserably.
- You have a high tolerence for pain or a high pain threshold.
- You have had moments of clarity, sharpness and engagement following particularly intense circumstances, but they didn’t sustain.
- You have a sense of being trapped in boredom and cannot see a way out.
One example in my life was joining friends and family on a paintball adventure. It wasn’t really my thing. I felt obliged to go. I hated being hit by the paintballs. It really hurt! I was crouched in misery for half of the game – then something switched inside me… I went from reluctantly venturing out to where I could get shot at, to charging the flag determined to take victory and ready to take all comers!
Nobody was more surprised than I was. But the really interesting result of this was that for the next 10 days I was more awake and engaged than I had been for a very long time. It didn’t last, but on reflection it was a signpost that could have taken me out of boredom much sooner.
What is your signpost?
STEPS TO TAKE
If you don’t already recognise your own intensity, acknowledging it is a first step out of boredom.
- Ask friends where do you fall on the intensity spectrum, on a scale of 1-10. You might be surprised at your findings. (Before you ask others, rate yourself and see if your friends score matches yours.)
- Look for moments in your life that you have had unusual moments of clarity and engagement, and see if you can identity the particular trigger.
- Acknowledge the extent of your boredom and the level of complacency you have around it. You may not even often say you are bored – maybe for you think – “it’s just life – your life”.
The good news is that it can change. More insights on how to step out of boredom coming soon. In the meantime why not try the Boredom Barometer and assess your boredom levels and your readiness to embrace change.
Brigid Walsh-Byrne of www.LiveYourOutrageousLife.com specialises working with IT professionals who know boredom intimately and who are ready to embrace their own outrageousness and step into vibrant life.
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