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Aldous Huxley says: “Every manwho knows how to read has inhim, the power to magnifyhimself, to multiply the ways in

which he exists, to make his life full,significant and interesting.”

Many talented young men are crushedby a load of unworthiness that goes onaccumulating because they make no effortto shatter self-imposed feeling of ennui.

Boredom comes from lack of interestin the world around you. The world is fas-cinating, bafflingly. Yet, you go about lifeas if there is nothing interesting in it. Nowonder, you are bored. When you arebored, you lash for something to happen.You are like a person standing at the road-crossing waiting for an accident to happen!

When it happens boredom disappears.Suppose you are sitting home, doing noth-ing. You yawn. You look at a magazine,flick through the pages, and toss it away. Asure sign that you are bored. You havenothing at hand which can be called interesting.

Now, switch the scene. Suddenly, youget a call from a friend who invites you towatch a movie in which you are also inter-ested. You are galvanised. Transformed.No more yawning. You are vibrant, full ofvitality. You dress up, perfume yourselfand hot-foot go to join your friend.

How has this transformation takenplace? You have found something whichinterests you, and has stirred your heart-strings. You get a “kick”.

Many youngsters, having a heap ofmoney to throw away, are bored. They havenothing to interest them. The trouble withthem is boredom. Hence, they go aboutdoing rash driving, bashing anyone comingtheir way. They want something to happen.A happening creates interest. Depressed athaving nothing to do, youngsters becomedelinquent. The boy brooding for hours inhis house, takes his father’s revolver, firesat his own friend, and kills him. Innocent

but fatal. Result of boredom!The canker of boredom has entered

into the lives of every segment of society.Attitudes to life’s activity have been affect-ed. People who flock to vanity fairs, womenwho converge at kitty parties, youth whodance and drink at discos think that theirlife has nothing worthwhile or interestingto offer.

Youngsters are bored because theirinherent powers are not being utilised. Ifthey give their mind, imagination, theirpower of observation, something to occupythem, will banish the idea that life is a bigbore.

The reality is that life is not bore, it ismore. If it is so, there must be somethingelse to it, and that is your own self, youroutlook, your attitude which cries out forfulfilment

Youngsters are bored because theycome up against something or other, andmake no effort to get rid of it by going tothe pit of it.

You come up to a difficult word. Doyou go to the dictionary to get its meaning?

Dora Albert says, “Unless you talk toyour next door neighbour, you will neverfind out what makes him tick. I am fullyconvinced that if you find someone un -interesting, it may be because of someemptiness in you.”

Nothing is lost upon a man who is benton growth. Nothing is wasted if you areever preparing yourself for a career or better job. You gain manifold if you keepyour eyes open, mind eager like a spongefor experiences and opportunities.

What we must do is to find ways ofhelping ourselves to develop mental qualities so that life becomes exciting, likeNewton at the sea-shore, picking beautifulpebbles.

The problem of boredom revolvesaround the life purpose, career and onceyou have faced this issue many things fallinto place.

Boredom—Your Enemy Within

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

Manyyoungsters,having a heapof money tothrow away,are bored. Thetrouble withthem isboredom.They wantsomething tohappen.Depressed athaving nothingto do,youngstersbecomedelinquent.

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PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

During leisure hours, numeroustalents can be used, both for enrich-ing your own mind and givingenlightenment to others.

Each person has some talent butuntil he knows himself he will not beable to use the gift in the best possi-ble way. Anil Kumble started hiscareer as a pace bowler but foundhis forte was spin.

The use or misuse of talentdepends upon having an aim in life,and this in turn uncoils the springsof inspiration.

You need to discard this ideathat you are merely a cog in amachine which remains an imper-sonal force working without rhymeor reason.

Recognise yourself as an indi-vidual for creative work. In fact,every one has a wonderful powerwaiting to be tapped. But beware ofthose who have time but do notknow how to use it. Thesechronophages come to you, spongeon your time and leave. You are theloser. You become bored, tired, listless.

You are not a robot. Your mindis constructive. It must become ahabit, now that leisure time is givingyou the freedom to choose your ownpursuits.

The computer age demands agreater sense of personal responsi-bility for without the right ideals,creative energies degenerate intomere time-killing amusements whichare endured instead of beingenjoyed.

You have to train yourself insearching out the riches of yourmind. You need to immerse in some-thing greater than your own selfbefore you can adopt positive view-points or become inspired. Poet JohnKeats did not let Fannys rejectiondampen his poetic aspirations. Hedelved deeper into his self and dis-covered a wealth of creative forces.

Boredom is a terrible afflictionbecause those suffering from it havenever learnt to look beyond them-selves. They sink, without diving and

exploring. They remain wrapped upin mental cocoons. They fail todevelop absorbing hobbies, and aredepressed.

What happens when boredminds seek outlets for their ener-gies? Drinking, eve-tensing and van-dalism is, of course, one. But if thisenergy is directed in constuctiveaction, you gain from it.

Hobbies and sports are impor-tant. This is why better road sys-tems, national parks, playing fields,centres and reserves are essential.

You can change by seeking outhidden talents. What about the locallibrary, museum, art centre, somehistory society, club, group where allinteraction is possible?

It is never too late to start outalong new lines. There is no subject

which will not yield a fascinatingseries of discoveries provided youare eager to find out all you canabout a particular subject.

Rukhsar complaints that shehas no talent, but the mere action ofobserving and thinking about thingsin a positive manner is sufficient initself to enable her to spur her. Sheis my student. I told her that shecould jump over her doubts, and setabout the task of getting the resultsshe aspires. She improved hergrades in the following examination.

Creativeness comes when themind responds to a challenge. Whenideas plus enthusiasm become adriving force, they drive awayboredom.

The bored mind is restless dur-

ing leisure hours, and never stays atone subject for very long, but flirtsin aimless fashion.

It is an excellent idea to dothings which combine outdoor pur-suits and indoor interests like stampcollecting, reading good literature,studying science or listening toinspiring music.

Raj Kapoor could play fourteenmusical instruments. John Dalton,the chemist who formulated theatomic theory, was fond of playingguitar.

Gladstone took pleasure instudying Homer. Albert Einsteinenjoyed music and playing his violin,while Sir Winston Churchill liked topaint and compile histories.

Lord Brougham remarked:“Blessed is the man that hath a hobby.”

Without a hobby one lives in amental vacuum where fears andphobias take control of idlethoughts. People unable to takeadvantage of leisure time pursuitsbecome glum and gloomy. Their lifeis a nightmare of frustration.

Cultivate interests. Useful infor-mation helps us. More is requiredthan reading newspapers and watch-ing television. Unless you widenyour mental horizon, boredom isbound to trail you.

What about talents neglectedduring college? Many liked sketch-ing, music, natural history, drama,geology, along with numerous othersubjects, but somehow these werediscarded when you began job hunt-ing.

Why not re-discover such treasures and make them count atthe present time?

Watch your emotions. Your atti-tude is governed by pyretic, fear, orhate. These recoil upon you, and youfeel tight inside which producesboredom.

Guard against the negative. Sub-stitute it with the positive. It is funto realise that you are changing thegreatest machine god has made—human mind.

Boredom is a terrible afflictionbecause those suffering from it

have never learnt to lookbeyond themselves. They sink,without dividing and exploring.

They remain wrapped up inmental cocoons.

T H E C O M P E T I T I O N M A S T E RAvailable as Print Edition also for Rs 50 per copy from your local newspaper agent

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The Competition Master to 126, Industrial Area-1, Chandigarh - 160002,

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