Boredom signals we've lost our curiosity - we're either too serious or stuck exploiting the familiar. Cultivating "engaged curiosity" is the key. It's a self-reinforcing cycle: the more we explore and play with open attention, the more meaning we create.

This curiosity flywheel builds momentum through our actions. Nobody else can spark it for us; we must actively nurture it. The trick is keeping our attention open to catch novel sparks from the world, rather than retreating to the safe and known.