PURANA PEN 's Key Ideas from The Art of Noticing
by Rob Walker
Ideas, facts & insights covering these topics:
5 ideas
·325 reads
9
Explore the World's Best Ideas
Join today and uncover 100+ curated journeys from 50+ topics. Unlock access to our mobile app with extensive features.
Noticing is a Radical Act of Presence
Idea: Paying attention in a distracted world is an act of resistance.
Explanation:
In the age of infinite scrolling, your attention is a commodity. By choosing to notice—rather than react—you reclaim your time, mind, and inner creativity. It’s a slow, quiet revolution against mindless living.
Practice Tip:
Go on a 10-minute “noticing walk” with no phone. Observe without naming—just see.
16
102 reads
Curiosity Lives in the Details
Idea: Deep noticing makes the ordinary extraordinary.
Explanation:
The difference between boredom and wonder lies in how we look. A crack in the pavement, the rust on a sign, or the color of a stranger’s shoes — these overlooked details spark ideas, stories, and empathy.
Practice Tip:
Each day, write down one detail you’d normally ignore. Turn it into a micro-story or sketch.
19
67 reads
Break Your Pattern to Wake Your Mind
Idea: Noticing starts by disrupting your routines.
Explanation:
Repetition makes the brain tune out. When you change your route, rearrange your space, or walk backward, your senses re-engage. Novelty forces your brain to wake up.
Practice Tip:
Take a different path to your usual destination. Observe 3 new things. Repeat weekly.
18
61 reads
Document, Don’t Just Consume
Idea: When you observe with the intent to create, you engage deeper.
Explanation:
Looking through a creative lens (photographer, poet, journalist) trains your brain to see significance. Even small moments feel more alive when captured intentionally.
Practice Tip:
Snap one photo daily of something seemingly “boring.” Caption it meaningfully. Over time, you’ll build a gallery of hidden wonder.
17
50 reads
Your Attention Shapes Your Reality
Idea: What you notice creates your personal world.
Explanation:
You filter life through focus. If you only notice flaws, you see chaos. If you look for texture, color, and connection, your world becomes richer. Attention is emotional architecture.
Practice Tip:
End each day by asking: What was beautiful today? What felt alive? Keep a “Noticing Journal.”
Thankyou,
Thankyou for reading.
18
45 reads
IDEAS CURATED BY
CURATOR'S NOTE
Cultivate the power of attention in a world full of distraction.
“
Discover Key Ideas from Books on Similar Topics
16 ideas
Clear Thinking
Shane Parrish
18 ideas
Clear Thinking
Shane Parrish
6 ideas
Clear Thinking
Shane Parrish
Read & Learn
20x Faster
without
deepstash
with
deepstash
with
deepstash
Personalized microlearning
—
100+ Learning Journeys
—
Access to 200,000+ ideas
—
Access to the mobile app
—
Unlimited idea saving
—
—
Unlimited history
—
—
Unlimited listening to ideas
—
—
Downloading & offline access
—
—
Supercharge your mind with one idea per day
Enter your email and spend 1 minute every day to learn something new.
I agree to receive email updates