Inattentional Blindness

If we accept that opportunity is everywhere, why wouldn’t we see it?

INATTENTIONAL BLINDNESS is a psychological term—it is failing to recognize an unexpected stimulus that’s in plain sight.

How does this happen?

• We sometimes think that there is only one path, one way to reach a goal
• We don’t see what’s not expected—we see what we expect
• Our expectations alter our perception of reality
• We think opportunity is not there if it doesn’t look the way we think it will. However, it might show up on a different channel while we’re looking in another direction

TUNNEL VISION IN REINVENTION: We get hung up on a particular goal arriving in a specific way.

SOLUTION: Acknowledging that you have ‘blind spots’. Being willing to expand your options.

Coaching Action Steps

Identifying inattentional blindness

Answer the following questions:

1. How might I be making the mistake of “inattentional blindness” – being so focused on a narrow goal in my reinvention, that I miss seeing other opportunities?
2. In what ways could I be limiting my options for reinvention? (E.g. thinking there’s “one industry” that’s a fit for your skills, or “one job” that will make you happy)

Click on this link to download the Opportunity Action Guide for more tips and exercises on creating opportunity.