Perks of Being Observant

Providing people with the same resources and environment doesn’t assure that they’ll grow similarly and equally.

That’s because their ability to grasp anything comes down to their enthusiasm and willingness to absorb what’s shared with them.  

Some people can pick invaluable lessons from watercooler chats, whereas some may turn a blind eye to invaluable advice that comes from the GOATs in their business.

Although clichéd, think of what happened when apple fell on Newton’s head or when Archimedes entered the bathtub.

Ordinary events, brilliant perspectives.

So, our ability to grow isn’t just determined by what we have access to, but also depends on how curious we are.

But how do we assess if we’re observant enough?

I think understanding how we generally respond to anything and how patiently we listen to others is enough to get us started. Here are some questions for example:

  • Did I dismantle and study what I saw?
  • Did I come up with more questions?
  • Did I curiously explore related stuff on my own?
  • Did I practice the little that I’ve learned?
  • Did I genuinely listen to what I got to know?

Doing that helps.

Else, the world is used to indifference anyway

Each day billions of words fall on deaf ears in random meetings, and words from conversations disperse in the ether just a few minutes after they happen.

But that indifference can be overcome when you remain genuinely open to receiving and still look at everything around yourself with eyes filled with wonder.

And when you experience everything with emotions like admiration, surprise, and inquisitiveness.