That moment when something clicks, when you get excited about a thing, some may call it the “aha” moment or the “light bulb” moment.  These are the moments when you need to drop everything and allow whatever is causing this feeling to guide you.  It could be reading a topic that is resonating with you or creating something that gives you an unmatched feeling of excitement.  These are the tiny moments that bring you closer to finding your passion; they can’t be ignored.  Your mind can almost sense that you’re on the verge of something great. It feels like a higher level than the flow state, and usually, something great or unique comes from it.

When Ralph Waldo Emerson returned from Europe, he had a similar feeling where all his ideas and insights came together as one to create something great.  Richardson Jr. describes the moment for Emerson.

 “A whole series of ideas, impressions, insights, convictions, and readings all ran together like a series of streams into a river.  The process was a confluence because it was not so much a change of direction as an augmentation.”

(Richardson, 1995)

Many of these moments are lost to us if we are constantly in a state of distraction.  Great ideas came to people when they were going on walks, waiting in line at the grocery store, or just sitting outside enjoying nature.  Sadly, these moments are far and few between.  At the slightest hint of boredom, you go for your smartphone to give you a dopamine hit, instead of sitting in boredom.  The word boredom has a bad reputation, but it’s a skill that allows us to focus on one thing for long periods.  If you can sit with your thoughts with no distractions for long periods, you will find that you can also focus on a task for long periods, they are the same skill.  Practice allowing yourself to be bored every once in a while.

Emerson’s many moments where he felt inspired to carry on with his work came from moments where he was alone with his thoughts for long periods.  He tells of the story of his friend Jones Very, who gained encouragement from a train ride.

“In August of 1837, Very was riding a B & M train from Boston to Lowell when he was suddenly struck by a sense of terror at how fast he was moving through the countryside. The terror subsided when he realized that he habitually stood “amid movements far more worthy of alarm yet with perfect safety.” Exalted now by the sense of being in God’s care and by a simultaneous “sense of man’s power and gifts,” he felt himself “borne along by a divine engine and undertaking his life-journey.” The trip “passed on for a while as without time.” When he returned from the trip he felt purged, exhilarated, and encouraged in his seeking.”

(Richardson, 1995)

James Very would never have had this moment of enlightenment if he spent the entire train ride doom scrolling on his phone or watching a movie.  I’m not saying to be bored all the time but give yourself a few moments every day and one longer session once a week.  The benefits will pay off when it’s time to focus on something important.

Richardson Jr. would go on to emphasize that Emerson believed moments, not events, were the turning points in a life.  Your moment will come, just try not to miss it because you’re distracted by something else.

Book Ponder focuses on the incredible power of reading, and even though stand-alone articles like these are unique ideas, I like to credit any books that inspired or gave me the resources for the idea.  Emerson: The Mind on Fire by Robert Richardson Jr. is one of my favorite biographies and was the main inspiration for this post.