Boredom, frustration and anticipation are states of mind that most people try to avoid. In search of happiness, pleasure and meaningful activities we tend to see these emotions as a failure to achieve the good life. In Propelled, Andreas Elpidirou argues that it is quite the opposite: boredom, frustration and anticipation are prerequisites for a meaningful life. By citing sources ranging from traditional research to classical literature and video games, Elpidorou shows what these uncomfortable states of mind can teach us, and how they help us in living well. “Positivity is great. Negativity can be tremendously useful.” as he puts it. 

The book, 160 pages, is easy to read and Elpidorou is a good storyteller. There are many interesting illustrations from a wide-ranging repertoire of examples. The thesis of the book, that there is value in boredom, frustration and anticipation, is a welcome antidote to the many books on how to achieve success and happiness that hit the shelves every year. In Propelled, we find a much better understanding of what human life is made up of and a deeper appreciation of the role of meaning and value in it.

Boredom, for example, is depicted as a time to find out what truly interests oneself. It is a guide to discovering what changes have to be made in order to truly live your own life. Boredom, according to Propelled, is waiting for an answer that is yet unknown. Not  knowing is uncomfortable, but inevitable. If human beings were not so focused on satisfaction we might welcome boredom more, since it powerfully pushes us into motion, into change, in the right direction. After having read this book, my response to my own and others’ boredom has changed; it is no longer sympathy with suffering, but rather “Bored? How interesting!” 

In the same vein Elpidorou argues that frustration is our guide to meaning. What matters to us shows itself when frustration strikes. We want something, and the amount of frustration we feel tells us how much. There is also an important link between frustration and creativity that Elpidorou elaborates on, that has to with the feeling of being stuck. At that point, frustration is necessary to motivate us to keep going, to stay energized, in order to help creativity unfold. 

According to Propelled, human beings are essentially doers. We cannot help projecting ourselves into projects because that is what life is made up of. Us doing things, whether or not we know why. And Elpidorou’s claim is that these doings of ours that we call life cannot be solely made up of happy feelings and good sensations. We must take seriously both the ups and the downs in order to live a good life, since well being is not a one-dimensional ideal. 

Propelled is bursting with references to psychologists, philosophers, researchers and even mathematicians, but it is never heavy. It is entertaining as well as learned. I gladly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the benefits of unpleasant states of mind. Rest assured, after reading this book you will know more about how boredom, frustration and anticipation all generate value. You might also feel somewhat more comfortable in your own human, thus at times uncomfortable, skin. 

Minna Forsell, clinical psychologist at the National Center för Dependency Disorders in Stockholm

Categories: General, Wellness

Keywords: Boredom