The world is full of obvious things which nobody ever observed
In the age where it has become possible to unravel all the secrets of the universe with just a click of a button, one would think that everything of note in the world has already been observed. "The world is full of obvious things which nobody ever observes," however was well said by Arthur Conan Doyle in The Hound of the Baskervilles. It continues to hold force to date as when Sherlock Holmes uttered it.
Invisible Power
How often, do we merely step through our lives in a haze of habit, missing the opportunity really to see what's happening, around us? We wake up and go about our business, in and out of bed again, having passed over thousands of wonders standing before our eyes. Obvious things hide from us not because they are invisible but because we neglect the necessary notice.
One aspect contributing to this is the brain's predisposition towards efficiency. We are fed so much information on a daily basis, and our brains, looking to save energy, focus out the things they deem inconsequential. This can include some of the more prosaic aspects of our surroundings—things that, on closer inspection, may awaken profound insights.
Hidden Wonders in Plain Sight
Nature, for instance, abounds with obvious phenomena to which we pay little heed. The intricate patterns of leaves, the peculiar angle through which light bends through drops of rain, or the manner in which animals communicate with each other-all of these surround us daily, yet most of us rarely take the time to really observe them. The act of observation does not necessarily entail any sort of degree in science or art-it is merely a shift from being passive to active in perception.
Take the example of how Charles Darwin spent years observing - tediously, it may well seem - what most of his fellow human beings considered to be trivia : pigeons, earthworms, and barnacles. It was in these seemingly lowly creatures that he discovered some of the richest understandings about life on Earth. The way Darwin opened our eyes to the fact that there's always something more to see revolutionized the way we understand the natural world.
The Daily Innovations
Most of the innovation that has recently developed within the technological world and in business genres come from something that seems obvious when it's looked at after the fact. For example, the post-it note came from Spencer Silver, a scientist at 3M, who, in his experiment to make an extremely adhesive glue, found that his experiment failed, but he thought its failure might have a use for something weaker to note on temporarily. He noted this apparent failure and went on to create what now can be said as an indispensable item in every office in the world.
Then take Steve Jobs, and his attitude toward the iPhone. Once the world had an idea of what a combination of phone, music player, and computer in one sleek product might look like, it was obvious but took someone with vision to first appreciate the gap in the market and possibly fill it with this wonderful new product.
The Role of Mindfulness
So how do we start paying attention to the ignored? Mindfulness. It's the practice of zeroing in on the present moment in a world that constantly yanks us away from that. It's about deliberately being interested in what's around you, asking questions and observing things normally deemed insignificant.
Curiosity is often the greatest virtue where science and technology are concerned, as looking at a thing as if you are seeing it for the first time breaks through into discovery. This attitude, however, should not be confined to laboratories but to other spheres of life.
Development of Sherlock Holmes Mindset
The literary detective that stands best in noticing the obvious is Sherlock Holmes. His method of deduction is accomplished based on his attention to details that everybody tends to miss. It reminds us that seeing isn't merely looking; it is rather probing and inquiring into what one sees.
No doubt most of us will never be detectives. But that in no way prevents us from cultivating a similar spirit of curiosity and awareness. We need to appropriate a spirit of detective work that opens up for us the possibility of making our own "discoveries" even in the most familiar places.
Conclusion: Seeing the Obvious
With anything, there are obvious things in this world that people never tend to notice—not because we lack the ability, but most basically because we fail to take the time to look. In slowness, in paying attention, and in mindfulness, you will actually start to become aware of all the hidden patterns and connections in the world. Whether it is nature, business, or life in general, just the simple act of observing the obvious can unlock creativity, innovation, and an appreciation of life that we cannot afford to lose. So next time you walk outside, just take a little time to observe. You might discover something that has been right in front of you all this while.
