You Can't Change What You Don’t Notice

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Phil Jackson, one of the most successful coaches in NBA history, wasn’t always the Zen-like leader we now know him to be. Early in his career with the Chicago Bulls, Jackson believed the triangle offense system was the ultimate key to success. He was so convinced of its value that he insisted all his players, including Michael Jordan, fully buy into it.

But Jordan resisted. He believed his scoring ability was what won them games and feared it would be stifled by the triangle offense. Jackson initially dismissed this resistance as arrogance, assuming Jordan was being selfish.

What Jackson failed to notice was his own blind spot. His insistence on the system wasn’t just about what was best for the team—it was tied to his ego. His identity as a coach was so wrapped up in being “right” about the system that he couldn’t see how his need to be right was affecting his leadership.

Yet, when Jackson stepped back and reflected, he realized the problem wasn’t Jordan. It was his own need for control—his desire to be right. Jackson then made the choice to let go of being right and focus on building trust with Jordan. With trust established, he was able to show Jordan how the offensive system could elevate not just the team but also his individual greatness.

This shift changed everything. Team chemistry improved, Jordan embraced the system, and the Bulls went on to win six NBA championships.

Jackson’s story is a powerful reminder: the biggest obstacle to change is often what we fail to notice about ourselves.

The Power of Noticing

Jackson’s transformation began with noticing. He didn’t just change his coaching strategy—he changed himself. He stepped back, questioned his assumptions, and saw the role his ego was playing in the team’s struggles. That moment of awareness gave him the power to choose a different path.

This same principle applies to all of us. It’s worth reflecting: Is the way I see things working for me? Is it producing the results I say I want?

Most of us are blind to the patterns that shape our own lives. Our routines, choices, and habits feel natural, automatic, invisible. They go unnoticed—even when they steer us away from the results we say we want.

The first step toward meaningful change is deceptively simple: noticing.

To notice is to disrupt autopilot. It’s to wake up to the present moment and truly see how our actions, beliefs, and assumptions are creating the results we experience. With this awareness comes power: the power of choice.

Just like Jackson, when we notice, we’re no longer victims of our own patterns. We gain a broader playing field with more options. We get to be more at choice.

From Noticing to Action

Noticing doesn’t mean judgment or self-criticism. Jackson didn’t shame himself for his blind spot. Instead, he observed it with curiosity and made adjustments. That’s the key: noticing isn’t about blame; it’s about learning.

Ask yourself: What am I clinging to that might be holding me back? Perhaps it’s a belief about the way things “should” be or a habit you’ve never questioned. From this place of curiosity, you can begin to experiment. You can test new actions, reframe old beliefs, or challenge assumptions you’ve held for years.

Change doesn’t begin with discipline or willpower. It begins with awareness.

So, start to build the skill of noticing. Looking inward with curiosity. Because you can’t change what you don’t notice—and what you don’t notice is likely running your life.

Read more about the leadership skill of noticing. 

Citation:
Jackson, Phil, and Hugh Delehanty. Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior. Hyperion, 1995.