THE WELL-OILED ZOOM

June 8th, 2018

Zooming in blows the subject up, exaggerates everything, and allows us to study and learn the details

or… be mislead by meaningless details.

If we are zoomed in on a shadow for long enough, we can make the mistake of thinking it’s night - that everything is just darkness.

Zooming out allows us to ‘see the big picture’.   Often this is what is needed when we are full steam ahead down an unproductive rabbit hole.  If we are too focused, a dead-end crash is usually the only thing that makes us stop, zoom out and consider.

But staying zoomed out has similar trappings.  When someone ‘has their head in the clouds.’  A dreamer, as the term is sometimes applied.  Someone who is stuck considering the big things, but never zooms into what can be done now.  Indeed, what should be done now.  Only considering the zoomed out perspective is to be paralyzed.

Each perspective has its benefits. 

Each its trappings.

The key is to recognize that the trappings of one perspective are solved by the other perspective. 

The trappings cancel each other out and the benefits compound.

But only if both perspectives are used.

This means zooming out on a regular basis and then zooming back in to the tasks of the day.

Like an explorer who surveys the land from a high vantage point.  Studies the broad outline of the land and then decides on a specific plan through that large picture.  Then, the explorer focuses on the step in front and the path immediately leading.  If the details of the path become too convoluted.  If the sun disappears behind an overcast sky, the explorer needs to refresh the perspective and climb a tall tree or mount a high outcropping.

Remember though, the explorer won’t get anywhere just sitting and admiring the view.

Admiring a beautiful view for too long can even be fatal.

A wolf might not attack your starving self, but time will pass you by – a different kind of fatal.

Best to keep moving.

But don’t forget to exercise that

zoom.