don’t dismiss anything
overview
It is easy to Observe exciting things that catch our attention naturally. However, when it comes to Creativity, anything can be used as inspiration or as an ingredient in a future creative insight. Therefore, it is essential to use any opportunity to Observe and avoid dismissing anything as not interesting enough.
The most trivial, every-day things can be great subjects for observing. In fact, it is these things most people tend to ignore that have the most creative potential.
Inspiration is everywhere and in everything.
actionable steps
Look around you, proactively and intentionally, even (and especially) if your immediate reaction is “there’s nothing to see here.”
Explore your surroundings and everything in it as if you see it for the first time. Observe not only physical things, but also conceptual or abstract things.
Observe also yourself: your actions, reactions, and interactions.
Use your Insight Journal to record what you Observe. Taking photos of what you Observe, drawing it, or describing it textually, will make you more attentive and receptive.
Reflect on what you Observed. It will generate a reinforcing Feedback Loop in your brain by rewarding it on the things you discover in ordinary things.
examples
Example 1
When you walk in a familiar street — even one you use daily — explore it mindfully and find new discoveries in it. Some things you discover are really new, while other discoveries result from a new perspective or attention to details you didn’t perceive before.
Example 2
Whenever you are idle, look around you and write down what you see, no matter how trivial it may seem. Take some time to explore each of the things you see.
Example 3
Set a reminder to random times during the day to look around you and write down what you see for five minutes, no matter where you are. Apart from enhancing your Observe function, this would be an effective, mindful break from whatever you were doing. It enables your mind to regain energy and create surprising fusions when you return to your primary task.