Discovery has no example, no easy path to follow. Are you willing to see and search out unknown routes?
The story is told that when Columbus returned from his historic voyage to the New World, the Spanish Court held a royal banquet in his honor.
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella formally honored his accomplishments, but apparently, not everyone felt that he was worthy of special recognition. It was while sitting at this banquet that Columbus taught a great lesson.
It seems that those sitting close by did not think that it took much talent to discover anything, especially the New World. They felt that anyone who set out in the correct direction would easily find it sooner or later. They could not see what all the fuss was about.
Discovery Has No Example
Rather than answer these insults, Columbus instead posed a problem. He requested that a whole fresh egg be brought to him and asked if anyone could make it stand on its end.
His skeptics tried many times but were unable to succeed, and they told Columbus that it could not be done.
Columbus took the egg and gently smashed the bottom against the table, crushing its tip but leaving the rest of the shell intact. Then he removed his hand, and the egg remained on the table, standing comfortably on its end.
Once this solution was shown to them, it seemed obvious and easy. All were able to replicate the solution.
But discovery has no example, no easy or obvious path to follow. Explorers must make their own way without the advantage of knowing the end from the beginning—that is what makes discovery so remarkable.
Are Your Blinders On?
When a horse pulls a cart through a busy street, its owner often places blinders on the sides of its eyes so that it will not be distracted. The horse’s peripheral vision is restricted so that it sees only what is straight in front of it. Blinders keep the horse and its cargo safe.
Maybe the royal experts—skeptics—at the banquet honoring Columbus preferred safety to discovery because they chose mental blinders over the risk of seeking something new.
Only after the discovery was no longer new could they see how to find it. Their blinders kept them from solving the egg riddle, and it kept them safely in Europe while others were discovering new worlds.
When Columbus ventured out to find a new path to the East, he did not restrict his vision with mental blinders.
Be willing to remove established blinders and allow your vision to see all available options.
Assess your level of aversion to risk. Could you have solved the dilemma of the egg before the solution was given?
View challenges in a new light.
Real discoveries come only through a change of attitude and perspective.
Application
A few tips:
- Ponder the types of mental “blinders” you put on—thus restricting your view of the possibilities.
- Celebrate with those who discover, and learn from how they did it.
- Risk and discovery go hand in hand—you must deal with risk directly as you follow the path of discovery.