Use other Senses

I was working on a project in the garage. The workspace I was working on was dark and the material I was working with was also dark. I needed to make a several holes at different locations and of different sizes. As I was done drilling the first set of holes I needed to switch out the drill bit. I loosened the chuck on the drill and the bit feel onto to the dark surface.

I heard it fall and I heard it bounce around a few times. But I could not see it. I changed the angle at which I was looking at hoping that I could see it above the surface, this was no use. I still could not see it. I grabbed a light hoping I could enhance my vision with it and possibly get a glare or a reflection off the drill bit. This too did not work. I sat back to think about other ways to locate the bit. Then it hit me. What if I could raise the surface of the table and hopefully the bit would roll off and I could hear it. Using another of my five senses to locate it.

I move to put this plan in action I was able to tilt the table just enough to start hearing the bit roll and then land on the floor. I was able to move my eyes into the direction of where I heard the clinking on the ground. I was immediately able to locate the bit.

This event made me think about other parts of life. Are you constantly doing and relaying on a certain skill, a person, or in my case a sense? Are you getting the results you want? If not think about how you might be able to change the outcome by changing the input. Incorporate a new skill, invite a new person into the group or project. Utilize another sense to move you forward.

Just like in my example above, I was focused, no pun intended, on using my eye sight to find something. I did not think about other ways for me to locate the drill bit, until I sat back and started to think about it. Even as I write this, I can think how I could use the sense of touch to possible slide my hand, carefully, across the surface to feel the drill bit. This whole experience has taught me a valuable lesson. There is more than one way to get to your goal, more than one way to find what you are looking for. When you have exhausted one way, look for another, then another, then another. Don’t give up and go get what you want.