The Art of Seeing the Invisible
See that FedEx logo to your left? What do you notice? Letters? Colors? Height? Width? Probably. But if that's all you see, you are missing something -- something essential.
Take another look. Do you see an arrow? No? Look again. More specifically, look at the space between the "E" and the "x". The white space. See it? Cool, huh?
Such is life... and the creative process.
There's so much IN it, staring us right in the face, but we often miss it. We look, but don't see. We listen, but don't hear. We touch, but don't feel.
For creative people, the "white arrow" is often a moment that shows up quite unexpectedly. It's not "on the radar." It's hidden from view. It's not immediately apparent. And often that is where the BREAKTHROUGHS reside.
But if we quiet down and really begin to SEE, we notice stuff that didn't seem to be there before. That's where the fun begins.
Is there a way to increase one's ability to see the invisible? Yes, there is... and here are a few ways to begin:
1. Pay attention to your dreams. Write them down.
2. Honor serendipity and synchronicity
3. Listen to the feedback of others
4. Spend time with people from diverse backgrounds
5. Trust your instincts
6. Talk to your customers more
7. Ask impossible questions
8. Notice patterns and trends
9. Sneak up on your project (work in the cracks)
10. Let go of doubt and the internal censor
11. Work in a different environment than you usually do
12. Ask friends to tell you what your blind spots are
13. Initiate a "job swap" day
14. Take a break
15. Look at your challenge through the eyes of someone else
16. Share your ahas and insights with co-workers
17. Get faster feedback from customers
18. Take your team on a fascinating field trip
19. Ask your kids for the answer
20. Invite "unusual suspects" to your brainstorming sessions
By the way, every time I see a FedEx truck or envelope these days, I stop and ask myself "What am I not seeing?" about the project I am most actively working on. It only takes 30 seconds, but often reveals very useful insights.
Here's to the revelation of your white arrow!
PS: If you know of other ways to go beyond the obvious and increase the odds of seeing the invisible, feel free to leave a comment.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at May 20, 2009 10:06 AM
Comments
That's cool Mitch. Truly delightfully enlightening.
Posted by: Chris Cantrell ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.ideachampions.com/weblogs/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 23, 2009 03:40 PM
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