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Leave it to Yogi Berra to state the obvious. He has been both cheered and jeered for his malapropisms, but sometimes the obvious is exactly what you need. Keep it simple. Yogiisms are part of Yogi Berra’s charm and part of his success.
How can you simplify your life today? One great way to do that is to become a good observer. Drop your agenda and expectations and turn your vision to others. It is amazing what you will pick up if you get out of yourself and watch the world from another’s perspective. It will give you the opportunity to become a better friend, a better spouse, a better coworker, and a more-well-rounded individual. Observation is quite a useful tool for success.
Your assignment today is to pretend the world is new. You just landed here on Earth, and there is nothing you can assume about human nature. Your task is to simply observe without judgment. Discard everything you know and start over objectively. Watch and take note. Jot down the things you find interesting in your notebook.
What are some important things you notice? How do people come together in a crisis? Who is the first to reach out and help? How do others react to that person? Can you identify people who are only concerned about their own well-being? How are they treated by others? Make a list of observations you would like to emulate and those you would not want to repeat. Through all of this, keep it simple. Watch and listen and learn.
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Julie managed fifteen employees in a house cleaning service. She was walking by the window of her office and stopped to observe some of her employees loading a van to start the day. Angela was talking on her cell phone and pacing back and forth while the other employees loaded vacuums and mops and other equipment into the back of the van.
Julie shook her head and flicked her pen against her crossed arms. Obviously, Angela was not pulling her weight. Just yesterday she left a job early. Julie made a mental note to pull Angela aside at the end of the day and give her a final warning or she would have to find another job.
Did Julie make the right decision? How many observations did she use to come to her conclusion? The answer is two. Is that enough? Why didn’t Julie go outside and ask Angela about her phone call? Is there a reason she didn’t go directly to the source? Did she ask Angela or any of the other employees why she left early the day before? Should she have done so?
How many observations do you collect before you make a decision? The more observations you can assemble, the more accurate your picture. Your task today is to count the number of observations you gather before making a conclusion. Count them; write them down in your notebook; and work to increase the number throughout the day. More observing and less contemplating will get you closer to the truth.
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Goethe created a continuum with this quote. Knowing is the point when you arrive at the finish line. It’s the end of the game. Thinking is more interesting than knowing, because you are engaged. It’s enjoyable to allow your mind to turn over ideas and create new solutions. The best of them all is looking. Looking contains a surprise factor. You can never be quite sure what you’ll find when you look. It’s exciting. It also takes the pressure off you. You are not creating what you see. You are simply taking note of it.
Observation is not a difficult task. It is a discovery. Enjoy your chances to observe what’s going on around you. They will be exhilarating, and they can lead you back down Goethe’s continuum. Looking is thought provoking, and thinking will help you to become more knowledgeable. It is a continuous cycle of learning.
You give yourself more ammunition for success if you increase your observational skills. Observations are fuel for thought and knowledge. Your assignment today is to continue to collect observations in all aspects of your life. Observe how your son brushes his teeth; observe how the woman at the bus stop holds her packages and sighs while she waits for her ride; observe how the tips of your boss’s ears turn red right before he starts yelling at his employees.
Again, this task is not drudgery. Make it fun—but avoid making others uncomfortable. Your goal here is not to become a stalker. Just pay attention to what goes on around you.
