Perspective, also known as point of view, is the reference we use to make a decision. Sometimes it’s based of our previous experiences, and sometimes it’s based on our cultural surroundings. Having perspective is more about seeing what’s around you, than about comparing abundance with absence.
Today I want to share with you my strategy on how to use perspective to become a better professional:
1) Take A Step Back
I want to share a funny anecdote to tell you what I mean by this. When I was in 6th grade, I learned that I was near-sighted. I was sitting in the back of my math class one day and out of a sudden, I noticed that the whiteboard looked blurry. Day by day, I started moving to the front and it wasn’t until I made it to the very front that I realized I needed help. Without knowing, I had become near-sighted. And this takes me to today, in order to focus on anything without my glasses, I need to be right in front of it or else I will not see it.
This too can happen to you. You might not be physically near-sighted, but you could be focusing too closely on your life. Whenever I need to make an important decision, I like to take a step back. I look at the challenges I’ve overcome in the past, the situations I’m going through right now, and visualize where I see my like in the future.By stepping back, you will have an opportunity to reflect on your journey and develop a fresh solution to the challenge at hand.
2) Be Open to New Ideas
I used to think being right was the most important goal in my life. More importantly, however, was being right over those around me. Even though I once thought this selfish behavior was my key to success, I quickly learned that being encased in my own knowledge only limited my potential. It’s not about being right, it’s about learning from others.
Some of the best advices in my life have come from the most unexpected places. People that seem to have no knowledge can be very insightful.When you are making a decision, try to reach out to a trusted circle of individuals that are open to different ideas. You might be trying to make a salary negotiation, or even working on a relocation and you will want to hear from others who have been through that process already. Use these ideas to your advantage and develop the path that works the best for your situation. Sometimes you will not like what you hear but try to keep an open mind and at listen attentively to what your trusted circle has to say.
3) Put It All Together
I’m guilty of falling victim to not finishing my research. I can go around and start gathering all the information I need to make an educated decision, and before I know it, I forget to weigh all the reasons together and instead act of pure emotion. I’ve learned that there is a difference between acting on a gut feeling and on pure emotion. A gut feeling, although based on intuition and with no logical reasoning, it’s often taken with a cold mind based on your previous experiences. Acting on pure emotion, however, could come out of a hot moment and give you a biased answer that is far from where you truly want to be. Make sure you catch yourself and avoid making important decisions when you are in an emotional situation.
Now that you have taken a step back and listened to the perspective of others, you can apply all the new knowledge to your life. Use the perspective of others as feedback to make informed decisions and learn from the different backgrounds that people have. Some of the biggest lessons in my life have come from situations like these and you too can win by using perspective.
Thank you for reading and please reach out to me if you have any questions or if you would like to talk about this any further!