Why Success Feels Boring (And Why That’s a Good Thing)
Boredom is the secret to consistency—and consistency is the secret to success.
Hey System Thinker,
Do you ever feel compelled to change the processes at your company?
Have you been tempted to shake things up?
Or maybe... you're just bored?
As someone who’s built and run systems for five different teams as a software engineering manager, I can tell you—I’ve been there.
And if you’re working on anything meaningful, chances are, you’ve felt the same.
Success is boring
I had this realization after watching this podcast interview with Daniel Priestley.
Here’s the thing: Once you’ve installed and run a system 20+ times, it gets boring. But that boredom is exactly why it works.
I’m here to help you embrace that boredom—and to stop you from breaking the compounding nature of success by trying to fix something that’s already working.
You need to understand:
What is success?
What is boredom?
Why is success boring?
Let’s break this down:
1/ What is success?
Success is meeting expectations—at a minimum.
Every iteration of a system has a baseline: a bar you need to clear, a threshold to cross, or a checklist to complete to keep things running.
Success is simply checking those boxes.
2/ What is boredom?
Boredom is what happens when a system becomes predictable.
Predictability means you know exactly what to expect—and when to expect it. It means no surprises, whether good or bad. Predictability requires repetition.
And repetition, my friend, feels an awful lot like boredom.
3/ Why is success boring?
Boredom is the secret to consistency.
If you want leverage in your processes—or in life—you need consistency. Fewer moving parts. Reliable outcomes. And that means doubling down on what works until it feels mundane.
Why? Because consistency drives success.
Conclusion
Novelty drives failure. Boredom drives success.
The next time you feel bored, celebrate. You’re on the right track. Resist the urge to shake things up or inject energy into a system that’s already working. Instead, channel that energy into something new that hasn’t been established yet.
Because when you repeat what works, you become boringly successful.
Got thoughts on this week’s email? Hit reply—I’d love to hear how boredom has (or hasn’t) shown up in your journey toward success.
Cheers,
Thiago V Ricieri
System Thinker @ Systematic Success
Engineering Manager, Apps @ Pluto TV / Paramount Global
Digital Nomad @ Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, GitHub, TwitterX, Website
PS... I started Systematic Success to share the secrets I’ve accumulated over the past decade—leading teams, working remotely, and building proven systems. If you found value in this edition, consider sharing it with a friend. And feel free to reach out with any questions about creating leverage, running independent teams, or building systems—I’d love to help!