You Need To Be Bored. Here's Why. | Dr. Arthur Brooks

You Need To Be Bored. Here's Why. | Dr. Arthur Brooks

From BigDeal by Codie Sanchez

March 26, 2026 · 1h 5m

About this episode

Dr. Arthur Brooks discusses the importance of boredom and meaning in the lives of high achievers who feel empty despite their success.

You did everything right. The degree, the job, the money. So why does it still feel empty? Dr. Arthur Brooks is a Harvard professor, bestselling author, and the happiness scientist billionaires call when their success stops working. In this episode, he breaks down the science of why high achievers feel trapped in a simulation of love, progress, and purpose — while feeling nothing real. You'll learn: - Why boredom is critical for meaning, and why eliminating it makes life emptier - The 3 meaning questions AI can never answer for you - Why resisting pain creates more suffering than the pain itself - Why algorithms have hijacked your brain, and how to take it back - The difference between resume virtues and eulogy virtues — and why most people optimize for the wrong one - 6 rebellious ways to break out of the simulation for good If you have everything but feel nothing, this episode will show you exactly why — and how to fix it. Watch if you're a high achiever, entrepreneur, or anyone who's ever wondered why success feels hollow. Turn your audience into an owned asset. Start your newsletter for free. Visit https://beehiiv.link/l2it20 and use CODIE30 to get 30% off your first 3…

People in this episode

Host: Codie Sanchez

Guest: Dr. Arthur Brooks

Topics covered

  • boredom
  • meaning
  • high achievers
  • success
  • happiness
  • mental health

Keywords

  • boredom
  • meaning
  • success
  • happiness
  • high achievers
  • mental health
  • algorithms
  • resume virtues
  • eulogy virtues

Sponsors

beehiiv

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Harvard, AI

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