Look around you. What do you see? If you were asked to be a witness at a trial, would you be able to remember details and conditions?

One of the qualities successful people from all walks of life have is a keen sense of observation. They notice things about people, human nature and the general world around them. Many of us, unfortunately, go through life with our eyes half-closed.

Perhaps you remember the story of the two streakers who interrupted a New York Yankees baseball game when Yogi Berra was the catcher for the Yankees. In the bottom of the ninth inning, two young people suddenly ran onto the field stark naked, slid into home plate, and then ran off again.

Asked later if the streakers were boys or girls, Yogi replied, "I don't know. They were wearing bags over their heads."

Of course, Yogi also famously said, "You can observe a lot just by watching."

That's why we love Yogi, even though his observations are mind-boggling.

Most people are easily distracted and not aware of what is going on around them. Being a keen observer is very important in life.

Perhaps one of the most famous "observers" in history is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes character. Holmes' method of detection was "based on the observation of trifles." To him, absolutely nothing was insignificant. Clues and information were all around, if only people would take notice. Doyle's readers are challenged to recall and relate details of his stories to solve the mysteries.

Dr. Joseph Bell was the physician said to be the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes. Doyle was particularly interested in Bell's emphasis on the importance of close observation in making a diagnosis.

For example, Bell told the story of a famous surgeon who used to tell his students that a doctor needed two abilities: freedom from nausea and the power of keen observation. One day he poured kerosene, castor oil and mustard into a little cup. He dipped a finger into the foul liquid and then sucked his finger. He passed the cup around to every student in the class and asked them to do the same. Reluctantly, the students did as the professor requested.

After all the students had dipped into the vile liquid, the professor remarked to the class: "I am afraid that not one of you used your powers of observation. The finger I put into the cup was not the same one that I stuck in my mouth."

Observation has practical applications in business, according to a newsletter from the Royal Bank of Canada: a businessperson being able to "size up a situation accurately and quickly; an engineer who can scan a factory floor and notice key aspects of workflow; a sales representative who can tell how best to approach a person after a glance at the desk ... An effective businessperson sees what others overlook, whether in a production line, an administrative routine, or a balance sheet."

Good observers filter out preconceptions, prejudices and cultural biases so that they see things as they are, not just as they want them to be.

Mackay's Moral: If what you see is what you get, make sure you're looking closely.

Harvey Mackay is the author of the New York Times best-seller "Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive." He can be reached through his website, www.harveymackay.com, by emailing [email protected] or by writing him at MackayMitchell Envelope Co., 2100 Elm St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414.