Stop skipping the intro.

What’s a show you’re watching right now? Not right this very second, but a show you’re actively engaged with before you go to sleep for the night. Whatever it is, I’m sure it has your attention for one reason or another. If it’s a seriously engaging show, I’m sure you can’t get enough and binge as many episodes as you can. I bet when one episode ends, you can’t click that next episode button fast enough. Then when the “skip intro” button pops up, you’re already hovering your finger over the button to move into the story!

But why? Why do you skip the intro? Is it because you know the intro so well already? Is it because you feel as though the intro doesn’t add any value to the story? Do you feel like the intro is a useless addition to the show?

If you’re an artist, you know that every detail you put into your work means something. You relish the opportunity to discuss all the small details you put in knowing that people will miss them. However, when people notice you can’t contain your excitement. Those that create the intro we skip with impatient button mashing are artists as well.

Skipping the intro means you rush into the story. Think about it, if you skip the intro you don’t get to ease into the story. You miss out on the most predictable part of the show. Predictability isn’t always sought after, but if you know what’s going to happen, why not just enjoy the simplicity of it? If you watch the intro enough times, you’ll likely see something you didn’t notice the first time.

There are times when the intro gives you a hint as to what may happen in the show or the series as a whole. I love seeing that! If it’s a crime show of some kind, every clue matters! If it’s a comedy, I’m wondering why the main character is flying and being chased by a space monster. The intro matters!

In your life, how are you skipping the intro? Are you not giving any energy to your morning routine because it’s the same every time? When you drive to work or any familiar place do you go into mental autopilot? Driving on mental autopilot is terrifying if you think about it. You just show up to work having no idea how you got there, but I digress.

My point is this, don’t skip the intro, don’t even skip to the next episode, because you’re missing out on details that really do deserve your attention!

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