Rule #1 - Life is all about perspective.
Perspective is the state of one's ideas. It affects our lives in all aspects. So, my #1 Rule is to acknowledge that life is all about perspective.
What does the statement life is all about perspective mean? It means you can view the glass as half full or half empty. You can look for the good in the bad or let the pain consume you. You can make lemonade from life's lemons or collect them and let them rot. Your decisions and views can be molded over the years, if you choose to let them be. In my opinion, those with best perspectives on life are those who have worked to positively construct their perspective over the years. I, personally, choose to look at the glass as half empty or half full depending on its beginning state. I choose to always pull the silver lining out of any gray cloud, and most importantly, I always make lemonade when life throws me lemons.
What the concept that life is all about perspective doesn't mean is that life
is all about how YOU see things. Your perspective is never objective (no matter
how hard you try to make it objective). Your perspective will always be shaped
by your emotions and personal bias and life experiences. The challenge is to
see things from another person's perspective and never to assume that with
enough persuasion people will see the world as you do.
So, how do you see things from someone else's perspective? You must be aware! You must listen, not just react, or, at the least, be cognizant that their view point is different. If you can, have an open dialogue with the other person(s). In some situations, this might be a great first step, but remember never to say things that give the impression that you don't care, or are accusatory. In other words, don't say something stupid, even in the heat of the moment, like "I don't get you! Explain where your stupid, crazy ideas come from!" In some instances, like with a customer in a professional setting, you may not be able to have that meaningful dialogue, but simply acknowledging there is a problem can go a long way. Proffering solutions to a situation might help you gain perspective as well. You might find that the problem you are having with a vendor can be solved with a little cooperation and/or compromise.
So, how do you see things from someone else's perspective? You must be aware! You must listen, not just react, or, at the least, be cognizant that their view point is different. If you can, have an open dialogue with the other person(s). In some situations, this might be a great first step, but remember never to say things that give the impression that you don't care, or are accusatory. In other words, don't say something stupid, even in the heat of the moment, like "I don't get you! Explain where your stupid, crazy ideas come from!" In some instances, like with a customer in a professional setting, you may not be able to have that meaningful dialogue, but simply acknowledging there is a problem can go a long way. Proffering solutions to a situation might help you gain perspective as well. You might find that the problem you are having with a vendor can be solved with a little cooperation and/or compromise.
The truth is, your perspective defines you.
As Epictetus said "It's not what happens to you, but how you react that matters." So, the next time your spouse makes you angry, before you react, step back for a moment and try and see things from their point of view. The next time you sit down and think about where you are in life, if you aren't happy, don't think about how much further you have to go, remember how far you have come. The next time your boss gives you a "before you leave today" deadline at 4:30 p.m. that will take you some time to complete, try to appreciate the significance of the task you have been given and its deadline.
No comments:
Post a Comment