Patterns

Why we should all strive to recognize patterns

I once had a manager who was so intrigued with patterns. She was so intrigued by them that every orientation she gives to new staff at the branch involved her showing a video to birds. When she gave guest lecturers at school she did too. The video would show a flock of birds flying together, and how essentially all flock of birds flew the same way, in the same “pattern”. She also noted that patterns didn’t only occur with flying birds but with various other sources in nature too — it’s all around us — for example, the stem and vein of leaves are the same pattern no matter which type of leave you’re looking at, there’s always a stem with branches, and little branches off from the main branch/stem.

Before her, a mentor of mine had also mentioned about patterns — but in a different capacity. She framed it as if you can recognize what’s happening, you can likely think of something that has happened before and figure out what the resolution is.

Recognizing patterns is no different than simulation training in health care or the saying “practice makes perfect”. To be able to recognize something means you have mastered that problem and it’s a sign of grasping that knowledge. We should all strive to be able to “recognize the pattern” — it’ll make our lives easier and more efficient; instead of spending countless hours on strategizing and figuring out the next step, when there’s already tried and tested methods that could be our first step.