The apprentice notices dangers the experienced hand has stopped remembering to mention.

CREATIVITY

WHAT THIS MEANS

Expertise works by making things automatic, and the cost of that is invisibility. The experienced person stopped consciously noticing the hot pipe, the awkward step and the tool that slips years ago, so it never occurs to them to warn anyone. A newcomer sees all of it because nothing has become background yet. Fresh eyes see the specific things fluency hides.

If somebody is new around you, ask what has surprised or alarmed them in their first week, then write it down. If you are the new one, say what looks dangerous even when it seems obvious to everybody else.

A QUESTION TO SIT WITH

What did you see clearly as a beginner and later stop seeing?

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