Filter	out	the	junk	(ask	the	right	questions) Do	not	spend	your	time	obsessing	over	every	speck	of	dust	and	every imperfection	in	a	brick	wall. 	That	will	get	you	nowhere. 	Look	for	things	that	are unusual	and	stick	out. 	If	you	are	in	a	place	you	know	very	well,	it	is	easier	to notice	the	things	that	are	out	of	the	ordinary. 	With	practice,	you	will	realize	what matters	and	what	does	not	and	be	able	to	create	a	filter. 	Make	sure	you	are asking	yourself	the	right	questions. 	 Build	a	foundation	of	knowledge	and	comparisons In	order	to	make	de ductions	about	anything,	comparisons	have	to	be	made. A	messy	room	is	only	messy	in	comparison	to	other	rooms,	and	a	person's seemingly	nervous	behavior	is	only	nervous	in	comparison	to	others. 	You	have to	go	out	and	find	as	many	comparison	locations	or	subjects	as	you	can,	before you	make	valid	assessments. 	Build	a	repertoire	in	your	mind	of	what	you	have witnessed. Be	aware	also	that	your	standards	are	different	from	the	next	person's. Again	referring	to	a	messy	room,	a	room	may	be	messy	to	your	eyes,	but	tidy	to its	owners. 	Keep	objectivity	in	mind. 	Building	a	foundation	of	knowledge	will help	in	this. 	 C onsider	meditation Meditation	is	a	wonderful	tool,	and	not	just	for	those	looking	to	be	more	like Sherlock	Holmes. 	Meditation	is	about	sitting	still,	letting	your	thoughts	 go,	and clearing	your	head. 	The	benefits	of	meditation	include	relieving	of	stress, relaxation,	improved	mental	acuity	and	ability	to	focus,	improved	memory, increased	creativity,	and	more. [1] Meditating	for	just	ten	minutes	a	day	can	improve	many	facets	of	your	life. Personally,	I	find	that	meditating	towards	the	end	of	the	day	when	I	begin	to	cool down	and	get	ready	for	bed	is	the	best	time	for	me. 	Others	find	that	meditating	in the	morning	gives	them	a	good	mental	jumpstart	for	the	new	day. 	Regardless, you	can	meditate	anywhere	and	anytime. I	have	included	some	resources	about	meditation	in	the	“Recommended Materials”	section	at	the	back	of	this	book.