Steak with a Side of Perspective, Please!
Picture this: you’re out with a group of friends at a fun, little restaurant. While you’re waiting on your entrees to be served, one friend brings up the topic of trading stocks. They mention how they’ve experienced large success, thanks to some simple advice they gained from a full-time trader. And then, another couple of friends chime in, and say they’ve been trading too. Low and behold, just about everyone at the table has dabbled in stocks. Soon you find yourself to be the lone wolf, the only one who hasn’t done anything related. Albeit intrigued, you’re still left to sit and listen while anxiously waiting to move onto a topic you have experience and knowledge about so you can finally weigh in.
It happens to each of us all the time, and not just in activities with friends. It happens with your colleagues, meetings with other business professionals, and even with your family. These moments kind of stink, and they can make you feel like you’re uneducated and naive. Thankfully no one is thinking “Oh jeez, who’s the silent one?” unless they are universal topics — things you ought to have some understanding about. But they still make you wonder what you’re missing in life, which, in itself, might be too vague of a concept to maul over. What you do miss out on, though, could be defined as a combination of things: the chance to develop a newfound understanding of something you’ve never done before, a connection with someone outside of your network, and most importantly, a chance to gain a new perspective on the world.
“Perspective” isn’t about overcoming an insecurity about what you know and don’t know or what you like and don’t like. But rather, it’s a gateway to establish a new relationship with someone, and develop yourself personally. Sharing an insight here and there, a different viewpoint, or even just an opinion allows you to find a common interest with another individual. It allows them to relate to you and you to them in a way that is far more natural.
Now, I’d love to think we live in a world of love and endless friendships where we all sing kumbaya and hold hands — but I don’t think that can always be the case.
And that’s fine!
Seeing the differences in each other, while remaining appreciative and compassionate is the important part. These types of discussions provide us with a real opportunity to be at our most fundamental level…human. The ability to resonate with someone from a shared belief, enthusiasm for a subject, or even just a genuine effort to do something completely ‘blue-ocean’ to you, is where the real magic comes to play and paves the way for true friendships to form.
The other side of perspective is less about relationships and people, and more about you as an individual, a thinker, and as a decision-maker. When you find yourself taking in the learnings of your world, you become less tunnel-visioned and far more open-minded. You can see everything as it is, from an unbiased point of view. You’ll almost feel like you’re carrying a radar that detects all the false data, and you’ll be able to decipher information quicker and with higher accuracy.
Just like with practicing sports in a deliberate manner so that you don’t just go through the motions, you’ll want to scan for information with the intention of truly gaining knowledge as opposed to just coasting off the inertia of your own entertainment.
Real work and diligence are required! It’s not like we live in the Matrix, where a plug is inserted into our brains, and we can suddenly know how to control a helicopter or put on a display of advanced mixed martial arts instantaneously. I know I’m building on a lot here. But the point is, it’s the consistent repetition and diligence that make bright people brighter and, trust me, people will notice!
Ultimately, with more perspective on the world, you will build more relationships, more influence, a deeper knowledge, and understanding across a wide variety of topics, and you will obtain a neutral opinion that allows for better decision making.
The benefits of doing this are unlimited, not just externally but internally as well. Think of: less stress, more security, an increase in happiness, a higher sense of fulfillment, higher sense of purpose, higher mental acuity, higher flow… the list could go on and on. So go out and buy a new book, take a class, learn a new skill, watch an informational program, meet with somebody, go to a convention, and all the while having fun along the way. Soon you will become a better person, thinker, and doer.
It’s a big world we live in! The ones who navigate it the best are the ones who truly master the art of perspective.
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