The Power of Observation

A TrueMan is observant.  Observation, in this context, means being incredibly aware of what’s going on around you at all times and in all circumstances.  What I’m speaking of could almost be considered hyper-observation.  (Put that in the man dictionary!)  Being observant prepares a man to act, to respond and to plan ahead.  It’s an incredible tool – learn it.  Here are a few examples of how The Power of Observation comes in handy:

As many readers know from my post on Monday of this past week, my truck was stolen in the middle of the night and has not been found, even now, almost a week later.  Good thing I’m observant.  I have a photographic memory; I know exactly where something is (was) in my truck, including the consoles, the glove box, the back seat, the tool boxes and the bed.  Why does this matter?  My observant mindset gives me a list, in full, of what was in my truck when it was stolen.  I’ll take that list to the insurance company and be refunded  It’ll cost me more paperwork and a home-owner’s claim (along with my auto claim) but I’ll gain a ton of money to replace my stolen property.  If I didn’t have a photographic memory, I would miss many items.

Another place where observation is important is in public.  I am always aware of who’s in the room, what they’re doing and how they might pose a challenge.  I trust that most people are good, but in reality, I know that some people like to cause problems.  The bank could robbed, the gas station could be held up at gunpoint, the restaurant I’m eating in could be endangered.  Heck, my plane could be hijacked.  In any case, I’m ready to respond to a threat.  I’m also always aware of the exits and the quickest route to the door.

Yet another example of how observation plays a powerful role is while driving.  If you (any driver) is not observant, you could possibly be endangering the lives of others around you.  Let’s say you’re driving down the highway at 75 mph and all of a sudden, the cars in front of you slam on their brakes.  You have mere seconds to react.  If you’re observant, you know where other vehicles are around you and you know you can/can’t change lanes, you can/can’t slow down soon enough, etc. 

The bottom line is this… be observant, it really pays.

Man up!