The Power of Observation

While walking the streets of New York City, I see something 99% of people don’t. They see big, beautiful buildings. Blossoming trees. Hot dog stands. Bright yellow taxis.

I used to love admiring what’s visible. In awe of gleaming glass, elegant architecture, the way a name is carved into stone. Sometimes I even snapped a photo — try to freeze the moment — and post it on Instagram.

But back then I never asked myself deeper questions. I rarely thought about why I loved the intricacies of the world, or if there were patterns in the things that caught my eye. I simply looked and smiled.

That changed when my dad gave me the best gift a 13-year-old could ask for: a crisp $100 bill. “Think of all the things you could do with it!” he said. Trying to act cool, I told him I’d invest it. The only problem was — I had no idea how to invest.

So my Dad took the $100 back and told me: “Brij. Look around the world and find something you love. Then figure out what makes up that creation and I’ll invest it for you.”

On my next walk, everything looked different. I started seeing buildings for their parts: Steel, wood, glass, concrete. I started to see plants growing and wondered how I could invest in the sun. Hot dog stands must be buying their food from somewhere?

More than anything else, I started to see money.

Over time, this mindset translated into more than just my afternoon walks. I found myself asking deeper questions in every part of my life. I stopped taking things at face value and started peeling back the layers in conversations, schools, even products I used. What made something work? Who built it? Why was it valuable?

The truth is, the details are what separate good from great. The greatest inventors, founders, and creators aren’t necessarily smarter. They just see deeper. They ask better questions. They spot the patterns, the gaps, the invisible details others miss.

So I challenge you. Next time you go for a walk, wherever you are, think about what you could have invested in that would’ve made you money had you thought of it. Even simpler, next time you scroll on instagram, see what editing tools were used to capture your attention. It can be as simple as that.

As simple as an observation.