Fascination.
There are few emotions quite like it.
When it strikes, you find yourself transfixed, in a state of awe.
There are many ways we get to this point. Some of us get there through romance. Others by looking at art. Still others by working on string theory.
I get to a point of fascination whenever I uncover something long overlooked.
Whenever I’m exposed to a new way of viewing the world around me, I’m blown away. That which I failed to recognize before is now embedded in my mind.
It’s as if a light switch was turned on in a dark corner of my cognition. My behavior becomes more conscientious. My vision gains layers of depth. And I consider of how it would be it we were all awakened to this newfound vantage point.
I’m locked in to my new reality. The one that was there the whole time, but I was previously too inattentive to see. And all the while, I’m amazed by the altered perspective that just blindsided me.
But once I get past this moment of fascination — once the awe runs its course — what do I do next?
Do I play sleuth, taking a deep dive into the topics that generated these profound insights? Do I leave them alone and go stumbling down the trail, waiting for the next lightning bolt to strike?
As it turns out, I do neither. I follow a different path instead.
Now, this is not to say that either of the approaches just listed is patently wrong. There is some value each of them.
Devoting our attention to fully understanding what bit us can help us affect positive change. Continuing down life’s path oblivious to the next profound insight can recapture that sense of fascination and wonder.
Yet, there are also drawbacks to these approaches.
Going down the rabbit hole to fully uncover new theories and ideas can be exhausting. It can divert our attention from other important ventures. It can steer us off course.
And following the path of willful obliviousness carries a
hefty opportunity cost. It restricts us from fully expanding our minds and transforming our behavior.
Neither of these approaches seems right to me. So, I focus on the intersect.
The intersect is the point where a profound insight meets something we’re more acutely familiar with. It’s where a new way of thinking impacts an old way of doing. Where a fresh perspective transforms an inherent state of being.
Consider the following example.
In her book Quiet, Susan Cain fully explains the concept of pseudo-extroversion — where introverts effortlessly act extroverted in situations that call for it. Cain refers to a psychological study that supports this concept.
Cain also cites other studies throughout the book that illustrate how introverts and extroverts respond cognitively to various cues. Many of these experiments illustrated showed different levels of stimulation to certain parts of the brain, depending on whether the subject was introverted or extroverted. They unveiled the innate differences that drive the personality gap.
As an avowed introvert, I found Cain’s writing fascinating. And I was captivated by the psychology studies she referenced. As someone who’s a marketer by trade and a writer by passion, I understand the importance of captivating an audience. And I recognize that psychology can provide the key to unlocking the cognitions behind people’s actions.
Even so, I wasn’t tempted to start studying psychology. Or even to start reading books solely committed to that discipline.
I was focused on the intersect.
On how I, as an introvert, could live a more prosperous,
enlightened life. On how I, as a marketer, could better connect with the consumers I longed to reach. On how I, as a writer, could more holistically inspire my readers.
Psychology feeds in to all these objectives, of course. But I don’t have to dig very deep to extract the concepts that best apply to my journey.
The full depth of psychological studies only does so much for me. The intersect of psychology and my passion, livelihood and state of being is where the rubber meets the road.
I don’t feel this theory applies to me alone. It applies to all of us.
Yet, all too often, we fail to abide by it.
It’s all too easy to get manically excited when we feel captivation. To feel the desire to shift course and pursue a new direction. To long for that feeling of wonder, again and again.
But the true value of our insight doesn’t come from those moments of fascination. It comes from the intersect with what we’re already
doing, thinking and feeling.
Embrace the power of the intersect. It could help you change the world, even in the subtlest of ways.