How do you use associative thinking? How do you train your observation skills? This is the question I get asked most frequently during efficient writing sessions. I was genuinely puzzled by this at first—what methods have I actually used to train myself?
Looking back at my past experiences, I remember in elementary school when a teacher had a lesson training us to find sharp corners in a picture. The image was a kitchen photo, and we had about ten minutes to observe it.
When everyone started sharing their answers, some said 4, others said 5. I thought it was strange and felt a bit smug thinking, wow, you all said way too few! The reason was that I found 50!!!
You might be curious—why would others say 5 while I said 50? The reason comes from the observation skills that associative thinking brings. First, you can analyze the problem we're facing: "How many sharp corners are in the picture?" Then you can define for yourself "what is a sharp corner." For my classmates, sharp corners might mean knives or sharp objects, but for me, sharp corners also included the four corners of the table and the edges of the window. So the moment I saw the picture, my first thought was that there were sharp corners everywhere, which led to my answer of 50 sharp corners and created a gap between me and others.
From this example, you'll discover that observation skills are actually having a different perspective on things than others. Observation is about noticing the subtle details around you, targeting your focus, digging deeply, and assigning meaning.
This might still feel like an isolated case, or you might think it's unlikely. So let me use the anime Detective Conan as an example. I'm a huge Conan fan who has been following it for almost 16 years, so I think Conan is an excellent example of someone who uses observation and associative thinking!
When people watch Conan, they often wonder: why can Conan see calluses on someone's hands and know their identity? Or how can he see what someone orders and determine where they're from?
For example, in one episode, Conan notices someone standing on an escalator on the right side, which is different from Tokyo, and the person's behavior is natural—they don't even realize they're blocking the way. At that moment, Conan is certain that this person is from Osaka. The reason is that Conan knows the conventions in Tokyo and Osaka are different, so he can make this judgment based on that.
This is what we call the application of observation skills. In our work on efficient writing, we always emphasize associative thinking and observation skills. The way to train yourself is to collect large amounts of information first, understanding the rules of how the world operates. The more you know, the better you can help yourself notice when something seems odd or unusual.
Then, combining your personal background and experience, you make judgments and assess whether the information is usable. This becomes material for your writing and also enriches your life experience.
By maintaining sensitivity at all times, cultivating your insight and associative thinking, you can seize material as it presents itself. Through extensive writing practice, you train your logical thinking and allow your thoughts to become more flexible, enabling you to weave different ideas into your articles and content. Over time, with consistent training, you'll create a gap between yourself and others!
