Fourteen ways to develop Sherlock Holmes-esque perceptiveness that will make you more effective in all areas of life

Ever wondered how cool it would be to think like Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot in their powers of observation, awareness and deduction?

You needn’t solve the next murder mystery to gain from the lessons we can glean from these sleuths. There are many ways acute perceptiveness can help us understand the people around us and succeed in relationships and business.

I’ve noticed that those who struggle to see the finer details of the world and the behaviours of others often struggle to make the right choices and can be continually perplexed.

Here are some ways to develop your perceptiveness:

Observe people.

I love to people-watch in cafes and places by default.

I now see observation like this as a practice like any other, be it yoga or photography. Pay attention to their body language, facial expressions and gestures.

Use this as an opportunity to get better at discerning their emotions and even motivations.

You will get better at reading people through active observation like this.

Practice deep awareness.

Most of us are in a busy rush, intoxicated by the chaotic mesh of our own personal thinking.

This just makes life more complicated.

Make dedicated time to mindful awareness. Observe your shifting feelings in the body and become acutely conscious of all your senses and the information you can take in all around you.

You are literally sharpening your sensory perceptiveness while decreasing mental interference via this practice.

Study psychology.

Psychology is the study of human behaviour as it relates to the mind.

It covers many areas like perception, persuasion, cognition, emotions, personality, social interactions, and mental health.

By studying why people do what they do, we can more easily understand and even anticipate human behaviour.