Pay attention to what you are noticing

Pay attention to what you're noticing. That's to say, when you find yourself noticing something, look at it again. If something takes your interest, even if you can't understand why it's important and even if no one else thinks it is, don't dismiss it. Trust yourself as an antenna.

 

This idea came into sharp focus for me when reading a book about Chicago detectives. One of the particularly successful ones was asked how he'd developed such an accurate nose for trouble. He said: "If you find yourself doing a double take, do a triple take." So don't say "Ah... it's probably nothing important" and rationalise yourself out of looking at it. Say instead "If I noticed it, it must be important. Now in which way is it?"

 

Isn't this where all the best science comes from - someone deciding to take seriously something that millions of other people could also have noticed but didn't?

 

Sense from:

Seize the Day

15 May

Tip from Brian Eno

Edited by Nicholas Albery & Stephanie Wienrich

Chatto & Windus

ISBN: 1557382905