Boredom is being banished from our lives by cell phones and technology. Look at your teenagers; if they're not texting or talking on their cell phones, they're busy pounding on the keys of some computer game. They are not allowed to be bored.
And how about us? We can't stand to be alone in our cars-- or anywhere--without our cell phones. We can't even stand in line at a grocery store.
But stop! What's wrong with boredom? What's wrong with moments of free time? Boredom can be beautiful, especially as you get older. My wife and I have forty years of memories to play back in our moments of boredom, and since we control the editing process, the film is always pleasant and the story always ends right.
Most people think of boredom as some glassy-eyed drooling state of nothingness. Actually, it is an essential human condition that underlies art, literature, philosopy, theology, science, and even love.
So let's put down our IPods, turn off our cell phones and Blackberrys, turn away from our emails and voice mails, and just enjoy one of life's greatest luxuries: the joy of boredom.
Leaders know that great ideas come out of boredom. Today, you can be a leader too if you want to.