The other day I remembered that I needed to be more observant. I needed to observe my surroundings, the interactions I had, my feelings, my thoughts, and the ideas I read about. Initially, this meant after consciously observing more, I jotted down lessons I remembered each day. In my daily Evernote log, I wrote about why my particular lessons remembered were valuable for me and what they were teaching me. While this approach was a good start, I needed to do more.
So, last week, I decided to post my lessons remembered on my website and write about why these were valuable for my true fans. I’ve noticed that this writing and posting process has required me to observe the world around me and pay attention. In writing more frequently, I now understand why Susan Sontag defined a writer as “someone who pays attention to the world…a professional observer.” Although I haven’t reached professional observer status yet, I have noticed more nuanced lessons remembered in my daily life and ways I can share these with my true fans.
Yes, observing, reflecting, and writing has been an adjustment for me. Most days, it’s easier to devour content (i.e., books, articles, videos) and maybe reflect on it for a few minutes once I finish. But that’s not the hardest part. One of the hardest part is writing about what these ideas mean, what we can learn from them, and ways we can make positive changes in our own lives. This requires critical thinking and analysis as we uncover new thoughts and ideas of our own. Side note: it can be scary to put your ideas out there for everyone to read because not everyone will agree with you. However, this form of conversation can be engaging and just what we need in a society that has slowly become devoid of tolerance and human connection.
The process of becoming a better observer has also helped me become a better reader. As Rebecca Solnit writes in her essay titled “Flight”, “[b]efore writers are writers they are readers, living in books, through books, in the lives of others that are also the heads of others.” I find myself wanting to read a variety of books, essays, poetry, and articles, regardless of popularity, as a means to understanding and learning more. I also seek out more curated content to further crystallize a particular lesson remembered. Contrary to the popular notion of readers being introspective and alone in their world, reading has also become a way I can engage more with the world.
Becoming a better observer has not only required me to be present in my daily life and reflect on my daily interactions with people and nature, it has also helped me confront the areas of my life that I need to improve instead of avoiding the necessary hard work. Becoming a better reader has required me to be more observant when I enter the author’s world and ask myself what lessons I am remembering. Becoming a better writer then combines the power of observer and reader. This power has helped me become creative in delivering my lessons remembered. Observing, reading, and writing have helped me ask better questions and uncover deeper meaning in words. For example, I ask myself: what lessons is the author teaching me? Why did the author choose a certain topic or subject matter? I am also constantly asking myself: is my writing helping or providing value to my true fans? What will my true fans learn from me when they read this? What’s the best way to articulate and convey this new message? Observing, reading, and writing have also led me to re-evaluate my career path and the next projects I choose to create, an unexpected but welcomed effect.
I wasn’t looking to become a better writer or reader. I was looking for a way to share ideas and lessons remembered that would be beneficial for others. I was looking to be more observant and present in this world. I don’t know which comes first – observation, reading, or writing – because it’s debatable. However, I do know that each are important in today’s world. I also know that observing the world around us, reading diverse perspectives, teaching others through writing (or some other instrument), and forming human connections with each other will help us engage with the world more effectively. This new level of engagement could be the path to solving the unique and monumental challenges that already exist and those we don’t yet know about.
Thank you to Maria Popova for introducing me to Rebecca Solnit and Susan Sontag.