Our perspective is shaped by our surroundings, which includes our personal geography, that is, all the influences that directly impact our lives—mentally, physically, and/or emotionally. The downside to that personal geography being too comfortable, however, is that you never want to leave. And sometimes being too comfortable doesn’t allow you to discover your potential and see what’s possible. Sometimes you have to go outside of your comfort zone to see the potential in a situation or in yourself.
The ability to shift perspective is a good thing. It allows you to see new or old opportunities in a different way, and to see seemingly insurmountable problems or setbacks in another light, often helping to reveal possible solutions that otherwise wouldn’t have been obvious.
Just like when someone turns on a light, you see more of whatever it was you were trying to look at in the dark. It’s a lot easier to see the details of a particular situation! For some, leaving their comfort zone could mean moving to a new town, starting a new job, giving birth to your first child (or second). For me, leaving P.E.I. was a catalyst to see myself, my potential, and my life in a different way.
Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes
When was the last time you heard the phrase walk in someone else’s shoes? Have you ever stopped to consider what it means? What it really means? What it means to you? It’s a phrase that is usually intended to induce empathy for someone else’s situation.
It means seeing problems or setbacks from the other person’s perspective – from the perspective of someone who has walked and lived a different life path with different experiences – but also, if you think about it, seeing solutions from their point of view that you may not have seen from yours.
The benefit of honing this skill – and, yes, it’s a skill – is seeing situations from another point of view and discovering otherwise unseen solutions that will broaden your outlook and help you tap into your own potential.
So . . . walk in someone else’s shoes. How? Imagine their experiences and how they would interpret a situation. Imagine the solutions they could see within your circumstance.
Do a mini self-assessment: Do you have a strong opinion about something? If so, why? Where does that come from? Can you see how someone else might be able to justify a different opinion about that very same thing? And can you understand how they might have come to have that opinion? Could you debate their point of view?
Just as you would walk in someone else’s shoes to understand them better, it’s important to see your own life, or simply your current situation, in a fresh, new way to discover the potential that waits deep within you.
The Beach Ball Method
Adopting a different perspective can also be helpful in overcoming the obstacles that will inevitably present themselves en route to achieving your goals. You must be able to step back and come at the perceived problem from a different angle – a new perspective. This allows you to see potential solutions that you would most likely not have seen otherwise.
Imagine a typical beach ball. If you and a group of people are sitting in a circle with the beach ball in the middle, when looking at it from any one position, each person can see only three of the coloured sections on the ball at any one time, no matter where each person is sitting. However, if you switch seats with someone else to see the ball from another perspective, you will be able to see three different coloured sections of the ball.
Imagine if the solution to your problem was written on one of the sections that you couldn’t see from your original vantage point! You may have even been close to the solution—only one section away—but without a slight shift in perspective, you would not have been able to see it.
This goes to show that being able to step back and see problems or setbacks from a different point of view is often crucially important to overcoming obstacles, achieving your goals, and, ultimately, reaching your highest level of success.
Whether you’re able to make that shift yourself or via a catalyst – from a pivotal moment or another person – it is about seeing things in a way that will, in turn, enable you to continue moving toward your goal.
If you want help in making that shift, check out some of the COACHING OPTIONS that might work for you.
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Note: Looking for inspiration on how to shift your perspective to see not only new possibilities but also solutions to whatever you may be facing? Read my book Redefining ‘Realistic’, which can be ordered on my website (hardcover with colour photos and personalized), or get the audiobook version HERE. And connect with me on Instagram and Facebook for ongoing words of empowerment.
