Sometimes the iceberg is right in front of us and like the Titanic we plow ahead anyway.  The sudden collision is a pretty good indicator we missed something, sadly like the Titanic it might be too late.

The obvious can often only be understood when you conciously observe and process it.  Often we simply track on the expected and might roll with the obvious, roll over it or miss the opportunity presented entirely.

Philosophically speaking

Philosophers have been known to categorize the discipline as the study of the obvious.  This of course can lead to the obvious question, why study the obvious which  by definition is easily perceived or understood; clear, self-evident, or apparent.

Maybe not always so.  This is the aspect of the obvious recognized by philosophers.  While the information might be easily digested,  it is similarly easily misunderstood or overlooked.

One key to philosophical analysis is not the statement of the obvious but rather unearthing the oppotunities associated with things we generally percieve unconciously and so do not reap the full benefit.

For Example

Consider the obvious comment “You are more likely to achieve sustainable long term goals through a carefully planned, reasoned approach”.

Over the years I have shared that thought with many friends and colleagues to derisory feedback like “duh”, “tell me something I did not know”.

Yet the frequency I have observed others behaving exactly contrary are numerous.  Demanding, threatening, unplanned spur of the moment reactionary behaviour has been far more common.  This could of course just be my own bad fortune but I don’t think so.

The next time the obvious occurs to you, pause, think it through fully.  Use it before just letting it pass without benefit to yourself.