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Great Men’s Boring Daily Life

Piyoko
Piyoko
I’m so bored with my daily routine. 🤥
Senpai
Senpai
Maybe that’s a clue to becoming a genius.
Piyoko
Piyoko
But I’m no genius, just a chicken who can’t fly. 🍗
Senpai
Senpai
Did you know that many geniuses had boring daily lives?

We often imagine that the daily lives of geniuses must be extraordinary and groundbreaking. However, their routines are surprisingly mundane. What makes a genius isn’t necessarily excitement, but rather a consistent and often monotonous routine. This post is perfect for anyone who wants to:

  1. Maximize your potential and achieve great goals.
  2. Learn about the daily lives of historical figures.
  3. Become a genius!
Content
  1. Conclusion: 7 Common Boring Routines of Great Men
  2. Examples of Mr. Routines
  3. Summary
Senpai
Senpai
Let’s cut to the chase.
Piyoko
Piyoko
Wow! You’re getting straight to the point today😳!
  1. Early rising
  2. Morning chores
  3. A simple diet
  4. Daily walks
  5. Taking notes
  6. Gathering information
  7. Interacting with people
Piyoko
Piyoko
Boo! This all sounds super boring and ordinary!
Senpai
Senpai
Exactly—hence the title, “The Boring Daily Lives of Great Men.” 😗

Looking at the list above, you might share Piyoko’s reaction. But the secret to creativity often lies in the repetition of a simple routine. Let’s dive into the daily habits of some historical figures!🐣

Senpai
Senpai
First up, the King of Routine himself, Mr. Immanuel Kant.

Mr.Immanuel Kant

Piyoko
Piyoko
Waking up at 5 AM?! That’s impossible for me…

Kant was a renowned philosopher, famous not only for his ideas but also for his strict routine. It’s said that he followed his daily schedule so precisely that neighbors could set their clocks by his activities. A very symbolic episode said,

When Mr.Kant leave home, it’s 15:00 PM.

As soon as he woke up at 5 a.m., he’d have a cup of coffee and dive straight into his creative work—writing. He reserved the morning for output, making the most of his fresh mind.

Piyoko
Piyoko
I usually check the news on my smartphone when I wake up…
Senpai
Senpai
Actually, many people start their day with input, but many geniuses began with output🖋 They did their input later in the day.

After his morning writing session, Kant would lecture at the university from 7 a.m. until noon, followed by a simple lunch. His only request for lunch was that the meat be well-done.

Senpai
Senpai
Many geniuses, like Kant, kept their meals simple and light in the morning too.

Once his work was done, Kant would go for a long walk, often lasting 1-2 hours. During these walks, he meditated and jotted down ideas, eventually ending his stroll with a visit to his friend, Joseph Green. He’d then spend his evening reading and collecting information, before going to bed at 10 p.m.

Piyoko
Piyoko
Senpai, Kant sounds like an extreme case!
Senpai
Senpai
Actually, a lot of geniuses had routines like Kant’s🥸

Let’s look at some other Kant-like geniuses!

Mr. Ludwig van Beethoven.

Senpai
Senpai
Beethoven was another Kant-type genius🎼
Piyoko
Piyoko
I can’t imagine that from his face! He composed ‘Jajajaan!!!’
Senpai
Senpai
You mean ‘Symphony No. 5,’ also known as the ‘Fate Symphony’🙄

Given Beethoven’s genius, we might imagine his daily routine was equally artistic. However, his masterpieces were born from a strict routine!

Piyoko
Piyoko
I pictured him composing in the middle of the night, suddenly struck by inspiration… 😅

But no, Beethoven woke up at dawn and started his day with coffee. He was so particular that he counted exactly 60 coffee beans every morning!

Piyoko
Piyoko
If I used 59 beans for his coffee, he’d probably lose it…

After coffee, he composed music in the morning, took a simple lunch, and then went for a walk at 3 p.m. In the evening, he’d read the newspaper at a crowded bar—this was his time for input.

Senpai
Senpai
Like Kant, Beethoven did his output in the morning and input in the evening☺️

Mr. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Senpai
Senpai
Next up is Mr. Melody himself, Tchaikovsky!
Piyoko
Piyoko
I know him! He’s famous for nuts!
Senpai
Senpai
Not nuts😓. ‘The Nutcracker.’

Tchaikovsky also woke up at 7 a.m., starting his day with tea and tobacco. After working in the morning, he went for a two-hour walk. He strongly believed that walking was essential for his creativity. Like the others, he kept a pencil handy to jot down ideas during his stroll.

Senpai
Senpai
They all made space in their routines for creative ideas to flow.

Mr. Sigmund Freud

Senpai
Senpai
Today’s final great man is Mr. Discovery of Unconscious, Sigmund Freud!
Piyoko
Piyoko
He’s the one who talked about ‘trauma,’ right?
Senpai
Senpai
You know very well!
Piyoko
Piyoko
Well, I’ve got some trauma of my own—from almost becoming a fried chicken…
Senpai
Senpai
That’s definitely traumatic…

Freud also woke up at 7 a.m. and had his beard shaved by a barber every morning.

Piyoko
Piyoko
He sounds pretty obsessive…

He walked every day, but at a brisk pace🏃‍♂️. In the evening, he’d have dinner with his family and enjoy card games with them.

Senpai
Senpai
Interacting with people in the evening was a common routine for these geniuses.

Freud also took three-month vacations with his family, where he indulged in activities like strawberry picking, mushroom foraging, and fishing.

Piyoko
Piyoko
Wow, I didn’t expect that from Freud! 😳🍓

🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓

Piyoko
Piyoko
But there must be some geniuses who woke up late!
Senpai
Senpai
Yes! Picasso, for example, was known for waking up late🖼️. But even he started his creative work as soon as he got up😉.
Senpai
Senpai
Let’s summarize the routines of these great men!
  1. Start with output in the morning, and save input for the evening.
  2. Keep breakfast and lunch light.
  3. Take a 1-2 hour walk to let creativity flow.
  4. Make time for social interaction in the evening.
Piyoko
Piyoko
I used to think that geniuses had extraordinary daily lives, but it turns out their creative works were supported by boring routines…
Senpai
Senpai
Or put another way, ‘Those who stuck to a boring routine became geniuses.’
Piyoko
Piyoko
I’ll start my genius routine tomorrow!

This blog post draws inspiration from the insights found in Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey, which explores the daily routines of some of history’s most creative minds.