How Watching T.V Increased my Productivity
I am usually not a fan of watching T.V. I think it takes more in time than it gives back in value – especially when it is done in excess. But in this post, I make a rare exception because watching T.V taught me a valuable lesson in productivity. And I think it will be valuable to you too. Let me explain.
Mind-boggling physics anyone?
I recently picked up a book on theoretical physics and cosmology. The book I was reading was Physics of the Impossible by the ever-intriguing Dr Michio Kaku. As you might imagine, there were many interesting ideas in the book. But this is a post about T.V not books! You see, for all the intellectually stimulating and mind-bending ideas I got to engage with in the book, it was what I learnt about myself in the periods between reading the book - while watching T.V actually - that have had a profound impact on me and my views on productivity.
...every day we are missing out on life not because we are not alert, but because we are not educating ourselves enough to even see what is around us
I wish to share this discovery with you in the hopes that it helps you on your journey of personal development and success. The discovery? That all around us, every day we are missing out on life not because we are not alert (though many are not) but because we are not educating ourselves enough to even see what is around us. It is like being in possession of a Holy Grail but in a language we have not bothered to learn.
From study chair to living room couch - a blast from my past
You see, in the book, Dr Kaku explores radical ideas like time-travel, invisibility cloaks and manned interstellar flight (travelling across galaxies) within the framework of what is actually possible based on the laws of physics as they are known in the modern age. He went to great lengths to explain how many of these ideas are indeed allowed for in the laws of physics. So why are we not yet vacationing on Venus or sun-tanning on Saturn? Well, we just don't have the technology. Dr Kaku does posit though, that many present impossibilities (at least some of them) would be possible in the future as technology advances.Unknown to me, I was about to rediscover that exact future described in the book, but from my past.
Starships, Aliens and tight uniforms
Around when I started reading Physics of the Impossible, I had also obtained the complete collection of Star Trek – The Next Generation. In case you are unfamiliar with Star Trek, it is a futuristic science fiction series set around the 2300s (300 years in the future). The show centres on the voyages of a Starship – The Enterprise - through space and the lives of its intrepid captain and crew. It aired between the late 80s and early 90s and was one of my favourite shows as a young boy. I was intrigued by the action and plot as well as by the many strange alien species and civilizations the crew frequently encountered on their travels. Presently, I set out to watch it all again knowing it would be fresh – like watching it for the first time - after all these years. It was all this, and more!
Speaking in a new tongue... on an imaginary Starship
The knowledge and insights and perspectives I got from reading Dr Kaku created a whole new experience as I watched the episodes. What sounded like exotic, made-up words to me as a child were now deeply meaningful. Furthermore, I was able to engage the stories more deeply. Terms like “warp speed” and “anti-matter” – clichés in Star Trek speak - suddenly had a world of meaning to them. It was amazing.As you might imagine, I was enjoying watching this show so much more than I did as a boy. This got me thinking...
What else am I missing?
How much potential enjoyment have I lost in my experience of life so far due to my mind being unaware and uneducated in certain things? To borrow a popular metaphor, in what aspects have I lived my life with eyes wide shut? In what areas of my life have I failed to grow up from a young boy and continued to “watch” life in a limited way? Sure, there is a charm and innocence in a childlike view of life - it helps us simplify our experience and enjoy the so-called little things. However, part of maturity entails seeing things as they really are, as much as we can. Interestingly, my enjoyment of the stories and its characters did not diminish with my new knowledge. On the contrary, it was enhanced. It was like my faculties had been sharpened and I could suddenly decode hidden messages in the dialogues and stories.
A new insight into productivity and success
There are many traits and factors that make for success. This experience taught me a new, less-talked-about one – successful people can see more because they know more. They can see more opportunities, see more potential problems and see more solutions because they educate themselves. And they pay attention. They may have two eyes like the rest of the world, but they see deeper than the rest of the world; two ears like the rest of the world, but hear more than the rest of the world. They are, to most people, like I am now to my boyhood self. He was content to be entertained by the flashing lights and colourful displays. But had little understanding of the deeper story.To be fair, he was just a little boy after all. Cut him some slack will ya?
T.V taught me the value of learning – it opened my eyes
An ancient West African proverb says
What a child will have to climb a tall palm tree to see, an elder will see it sitting down
An elder need not be old in years. An elder is simply a wise person. A person of insight. A learned person. It was learning that made the difference in my experience of watching Star Trek again. It is learning that will enable you to engage life at a level that most people cannot even conceive. Not only can learning make you more successful on the material plane, but it can heighten your overall experience from your relationships with others to your relationship with yourself and with your Maker - whatever that might mean for you. Take time each day to read something, watch or listen to something that will teach you something valuable. Then take time to digest and interact (notice the word, inter-act) deeply with the ideas. Question them. Analyze them. And most importantly, ponder the implications on your own life (see my blog post on effective reading here)
Productivity depends on mental flexibility
Decide today to set a realistic goal on how much time you want to dedicate daily to learning. Write it down and then start doing it. Start with subjects or topics you actually like even if they do not seem immediately useful. (Paper Mache carpentry anyone?) This will get you in the habit so that you can tackle more demanding subjects as you progress. It is that simple. You will be amazed at how much of a difference it will make. Do these things and you might find, like I did, that not just your work but even your leisure time gives you more pleasure and profit. And life as a whole becomes more interesting and fulfilling. Also, the mental flexibility it provides you will enable you to see things from many different perspectives. It will also help you spot opportunities where others do not. Imagine what this could do for your productivity and overall enjoyment of life.As for me, I am thinking of watching The Big Bang Theory series next. But I might first have to read Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time. My goodness, how did watching T.V get so complicated? Until the next post, be your best and do your best.
