Imagine a great river. Like the Amazon, the Ganges, the Mississippi, or the Nile.
Great rivers don’t just appear. They are fed by upstream networks of smaller streams and tributaries, building and converging into the mighty flow we call a river.
That river is where the benefits appear—irrigation, electricity, trade, and prosperity. The upstream is far less glorious—humble creeks or streams that might be traversed in a single step.
When it comes to innovating yourself, everyone wants to live downstream in river mode. They want the benefits. They want to win.
But the real work of winning doesn’t begin downstream. It begins upstream.
For high-agency individuals, that daily upstream work includes mindfulness.
Mindfulness is Upstream Work
Mindfulness is a word that means both everything and nothing. We need to define it if we are actually going to “do” it.
One widely-accepted definition of mindfulness is the self-regulation of attention with an attitude of curiosity, openness and acceptance.
“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn
Self regulation of attention is “paying attention to what you’re paying attention to,” as David Allen would say.
“If you don’t pay appropriate attention to what has your attention, it will take more of your attention than it deserves.”
― David Allen
Mindfulness creates space, or a gap, so that reactions can become meaningful responses.
This kind of mindfulness produces an opportunity mindset.
There are three attitudes of mindfulness to be nurtured:
The attitude of curiosity is the starting point of innovation.
If you want to innovate yourself, stay curious.
The attitude of openness is the starting point of opportunity.
With openness, even problems can be seen as opportunities.
The attitude of acceptance defers judgment long enough to see more clearly.
Curiosity. Openness. Acceptance.
These are the upstream conditions for everything downstream.
See Something, Say Something
Months after the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, straphangers in the New York City subway system began to see posters displaying the ubiquitous message: “See Something, Say Something.” This iconic phrase was coined by advertising legend Allen Kay.
Over the years, the campaign has taken many forms, including posters, PSAs, and even apps. One famous iteration of the poster featured photos of 16 pairs of eyes, declaring:
THERE ARE 16 MILLION EYES IN THE CITY
WE’RE COUNTING ON ALL OF THEM
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING
The power of Kay’s campaign wasn’t the posters themselves. It was the call to mindful attention for 16 million New Yorkers—to see, to take notice, and not to walk by on autopilot.
Watch the Gap
Another warning travelers frequently encounter is “Watch the Gap”—that is, to pause, look, and take care when entering or exiting the train.
The New York City Subway system is about as “downstream” as downstream can be, and yet individuals can bring their own upstream practices with them.
Graffiti is another daily reality in the subway. Graffiti artists leave distinctive identifying marks called tags.
There is another kind of tagging you can use that helps with innovating yourself, and it’s clean and legal.
See Something, Tag Something
Do your upstream work each day.
Mindfully identify what catches your attention.
Don’t walk by on autopilot.
Tag it in your personal note taking system.
Don’t rush to judgment. You can assign meaning later.
Here are your tags:
#hmm—things that are puzzling or curious
#ouch—things that bring pain or friction
#wow—things that surprise you and demand attention
These tags are simple enough to objectify what caught your attention without forcing meaning or action too soon.
Then, after you have seen something and tagged something, watch the gap.
Come back later.
Review what you have captured, assign meaning, and decide if any next steps should be taken.
See something. Tag something. Watch the gap.
Something to think about…
What’s one thing that caught your attention today that you almost walked past on autopilot?
Which of the three essential attitudes — curiosity, openness, or acceptance — seems most natural to you? Which is most challenging?
How have you been focusing on the river, instead of the upstream work that feeds it?