I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the “Obvious to you, amazing to others” concept Derek Sivers talks about in this video.
A friend of mine bought this up last week while he was discussing his current dalliances in Spain. To him (and to me), it seemed obvious that he would move over there, swapping the hectic London lifestyle for a more laid back, siesta driven pace that, despite his vegetarianism, takes in tapas and sunshine, rather than mushy peas and spitting rain.
But not everybody thinks this way. What we think is obvious, others find to be amazing.
This works both in a positive and negative regard.
Some, when you tell them your big ideas, are amazed that you could be planning something so exciting. They congratulate you on doing what you want to do, and they truly, and honestly, wish you well and ask for you to share every detail with them along the way.
Others, are not so excited for you. They immediately look at you like you’ve said the stupidest thing they’ve ever heard. They start to reel off some out of date material about how you should be realistic and why what you’re doing will never work (even if it already is).
Drop the latter group. Eliminate the haters, life is too short to be dealing with people like that (exceptions should be made for family members, who far from trying to bring you down, are most likely displaying a natural instinct to protect you. In this case, if you can’t bring them around to the “Obvious” group, at least try to get them excited about what you’re doing).
The more we push ourself forward (a phrase quite different to going forward) the greater our ability increases over time.
In the graph above, the bottom line displays where you currently are, and the top line shows where you ought to be (or hope to be) in the future. Each step, each time you take action moves you closer towards where you ought to be.
This is why these little things are obvious to me, and countless others. Take out all those little steps in the middle and we would struggle to make the leap; but adding them in gives you a foothold on the next step, and again onto the next step, and again onto the next step, and so on.
And Thomas Edison?
If we all did the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves. — Thomas Edison
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for mentioning me. Have to say it’s still frustrating though when I arrive in a new place here and still go through the grand inquisition from every new person as to why I’m in “there” country and why on earth I’d possibly turn my back on London. Seems it’s a universal concept.
Also it’s unfortunate that there are so many more people in that latter group. The ironic (or obvious) thing is that the more I do things like I’m doing, the more supportive I become of others.
I can understand your frustration (yet I’m not surprised), it’s a worldwide concept it would seem. I’ve not thought of it like that before. Definitely a good thing. It’s time to embrace the ‘obvious’ ;)
Really enjoyed reading this. Relate to the eliminate haters and bringing family round to excited category if possible. Thanks for sharing!
best
Sue
Thank you for reading Sue :)