Missing the Gorilla in the Room

Imagine you're walking down the street, chatting on your phone, when a clown on a unicycle passes rides by you. Would you notice it?

Most people think they would. Yet, in a 2010 study led by Ira Hyman from Western Washington University a staggering 75% of people did not notice the drive-by circus act. 

Doesn’t that sound ridiculous? We like to think of ourselves as sensitive and observant, which in many cases is true. 

But it’s also true that our attention has limits. And more often than we realize, we miss what's right in front of us. 

It’s a phenomenon known as inattentional blindness, and I have been fascinated by it ever since I was introduced to it. 

Counting Passes

In my first year of university I encountered an experiment that forever changed how I understood my own mind. 

You can watch it for yourself here. 

We were shown a video of people passing a basketball and instructed to count how many times the ball was passed. I focused intently, confident in my ability to track every pass. "Thirteen," I muttered to myself. 

A caption popped onto the screen: The answer is 15. 

I was shocked because I was sure I counted accurately. But then another caption popped onto the screen:

"Did you see the gorilla?" 

When they replayed the video, my jaw dropped. A person in a gorilla suit walked right through the group of players even pausing for a dance before continuing to walk off screen. I had completely missed it, and I felt like I’d just watched a magic trick. 

And in a way, I sorta had. Many magic tricks depend on misdirecting our attention away from some other event or information, only to surprise us with it later on. 

As Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris showed us in this video, when our attention is fixed on one task we can become astonishingly blind to other, seemingly obvious, elements in our environment.

Why This Matters: The Risks of Inattentional Blindness

Our tendency to miss the "gorilla in the room" has far-reaching consequences.

Safety: Perhaps the most critical example is distracted driving. We believe we can safely talk on the phone while driving but inattentional blindness can cause us to miss crucial changes in our surroundings. This is why so many accidents occur when drivers are looking at their phones instead of the road.

Productivity: At work we often juggle multiple tasks believing we’re maximizing efficiency. But multi-tasking is a myth. We’re not really ever paying attention to several things all at once. Rather, we’re rapidly switching our attention from one thing to another. This reduces our focus (making it impossible to flow) and increases the likelihood of missing important details.

Relationships: Our relationships can also suffer from inattentional blindness. We might be so absorbed in one task that we miss the cues from others. This might look like a manager failing to detect signs of burnout from his team. Or a partner missing the emotional cues of their beloved. 

Embracing Our Limits: A Foundation for Possibilities Thinking

We can't change our perceptual abilities, so what can we do?

The first step is to acknowledge that our perception is inherently limited. By accepting our inattentional blindness we create an opportunity to shift our focus and explore new perspectives. This practice is foundational to what I call "possibilities thinking."

Possibilities thinking is about recognizing that we're always missing something. When we admit that our focus can blind us to other information, we open the door to discovering new insights.

Consider this: What might you be missing right now because you're too focused on one particular aspect of your life or work? Are you so intent on achieving your current goal that you overlook alternative paths or opportunities?

Practical Steps to Broaden Your Awareness

While we can't eliminate inattentional blindness, we can develop habits that help us see more of the "gorillas" around us. Here are three practical strategies you can start using today:

1. Switch Perspectives Regularly: Make it a habit to shift your focus periodically. In meetings take a moment to consider what perspectives might be missing. Ask yourself, "What am I not noticing here?" In personal situations pause to reflect on what might be happening beyond your immediate concerns. This simple practice can reveal overlooked insights and foster creativity.
2. Seek External Feedback: Our perception is inherently biased so it's vital to seek input from others. Share your projects, ideas, or even your concerns with trusted colleagues, friends, or mentors. They can provide different viewpoints and highlight things you might have missed. For example, you might discover that while you've been focused on meeting a deadline, others have noticed signs of stress within the team that need addressing.
3. Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment without judgment. By training our minds to become more aware of the present, we can catch more of the subtle details around us. Regular mindfulness exercises can help improve our focus and expand our awareness, making us more attuned to the world beyond our immediate task. 

What Are You Missing?

Our minds are capable of remarkable things, but they also have inherent blind spots. Inattentional blindness isn't a flaw to be corrected but a feature to be understood. By acknowledging this limitation we empower ourselves to shift focus and explore the world with fresh eyes.

So, I invite you to reflect: What "gorilla" might you be missing in your life right now? Are you so focused on one goal or task that you're overlooking something important? By taking the time to switch perspectives, seek feedback, and practice mindfulness, you can begin to uncover new possibilities and enrich your life in ways you never imagined.

In the end, it's not about seeing everything. It's about being open to what we might not see. And that's where the magic of possibilities truly begins.