I experienced what does an own "invisible gorilla" experiment look like...

You must have heard about the invisible gorilla experiment. If not, you can learn more here or actually there is another version of it that I like better, you can check that out here. 

No matter which one you like/watch/read the main thing here is when you have to perform a task (especially if that is a challenging one), without realizing it, your attention narrows and blocks out other things. So, often, you literally can't see even a huge, hairy gorilla that appears directly in front of you. 😀

That effect is called "inattentional blindness". You only see what you expect to see. I was first introduced this experiment in the context of modeling. With any models you are working with, you need to work hard not to only see what you expect to see but way more beyond that. 

The other day I needed to schedule a "trip" to the customer service of an internet/phone provider (I needed to arrange internet subscription for someone in my family). But a lot was going on that day, my head was full of new information (still learning at my new job), also I was heavily thinking of a conference abstract how to put that together. Anyways, I arrived to the shopping centre where the customer service was, I'd checked in advance and saw that it is a bit hidden within the shopping centre but I knew where to find it so I went into that direction. It was late, but not that much because the place was open until 8 pm, and I was already around at half past 7. So I turned onto that smaller corridor where the particular store was, and I went through the automatic door and I drew a number  (the "new client" one) and sat down to wait. I was glad because they called for the number before mine so I guessed it won't take too long to wait. Whilst I was waiting I also met an ex-colleague, we didn't talk too much, only 3 minutes or so, he mentioned he recently bought a new phone and we were kind of small talking a short while. Then he left. 

I started to overhear a conversation from a customer service desk not far from me - because of the late time there were only 2 desks in service anyways. The conversation was like the representative tried to help the customer making her phone working (put SIM card in and out, etc.). The representative guy was doing this in a flirtatious manner - I was pissed off a bit because this was going on like for 15 minutes and I just wanted to finish and go home. Anyways. 

Another 5 minutes later - I was there for 20 minutes already - suddenly I started to pay attention to a strange thing: the silence. Quite a few people waiting, and there is that silence. Then I looked towards the entrance. There were white and orange balloons as some marketing decorations. Wait a minute. I supposed to be in a place that is totally magenta colored everywhere. Hm, interesting. Did they rebrand the whole thing and I didn't know about it? Hm...I looked around more suspiciously. There were basically no phones at all. Where are the mobiles and stuff that are always there that you can play with until you wait. And what is this huuuge silence? 

Ok, I realized at that moment: I AM IN THE WRONG PLACE!!!! I WAS IN A BANK!!! And only after 20 minutes did I become suspicious. All those circumstances like the conversation with the ex-colleague (about his new phone) and the overheard discussion about SIM card and stuff...All those things I heard made me not realize that I am not in the right place. For some reasons my eyes didn't warn me earlier that the colors and furniture and the lack of technical stuff means something strange. My ears didn't warn be probably because they heard only appropriate things about phones and SIM cards and whatever 😀 

I pretended to be upset that I wasn't called for 20 minutes and then I left... And went in to next door where the phone store was where to I was headed on the first place. Well I still had 10 minutes before they closed and I could arrange what I went for. 

I was really thinking through this whole thing afterwards. Why didn't I realize where I am for a relatively long time? I still don't have the answer. But it really reminded me the invisible gorilla story and the inattentional blindness I really had this time  😊

And what are the lessons I've learned? Still processing...