A Super Bowl of Perspective

The Super Bowl is almost here and thank goodness it’s not exclusively on Peacock, forcing me to subscribe to yet another streamer I don’t want. Instead of diving into predictions about the Chiefs’ historic three-peat, the case for Mahomes and Reid surpassing Brady+Belichick, or rules for a drinking game based on cut aways to Taylor Swift, I want to take a different approach—one that’s about perspective.

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In our newly developing world of “fake news” and changing truths, football is one of the best examples of differing perspective that I’ve use with my kids. Both teams play the game, the final score is known, and the “facts” are indisputable. Yet, half the crowd leaves saying it was the worst game ever and the refs robbed them, while the other half heads out to celebrate the “good guys” winning! It’s a lesson that we are irrational, emotional, and stuck in our own heads.

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The point? We let our emotions, pre-judgments, and past experiences cloud what we think the “facts” are. At times, we might as well be shirtless, painted up, and six Natty Lights deep walking around the office, because that’s how skewed our perspective can be in negotiations, trades, or water cooler debates. Are there still water coolers…

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It isn’t about changing someone’s mind. It’s about recognizing that different opinions, even conflicting ones, can coexist without anyone necessarily being wrong. Let’s break this down with football, physics, psychology, and a touch of Stoicism.

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The Physics of Perspective

If you’re lucky enough to be at the game, your view from the 50-yard line will look very different from someone in the end zone. It’s not about who’s right or wrong; it’s about the fact that we’re all sitting in different seats—literally and figuratively.

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Ask yourself, if some is sitting, at the 50 or behind the post, in a seat are they “moving”? Heck no! What if you ask an astronaut looking down from orbit, hell yes, they’re spinning at 1,000 mph as the Earth rotates. Zoom out further, and they’re hurtling around the sun at 67,000 mph. (If we keep going, we’ll need Carlo Rovelli to explain our relative velocity in the Milky Way.)

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The point is, everything feels fixed and steady from our seat, but the universe tells a different story. Life and business work the same way. There are too many moving pieces and perspectives to account for, but recognizing that yours isn’t the only one? That’s where the trophy sits.

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The Psychology of Perspective

Let’s revisit that crowd after the game:

·??????? 1/3 will leave thinking it was the greatest game ever.

·??????? 1/3 will believe it was a disaster, and they were robbed.

·??????? 1/3 are just came for the party, the halftime show, and overpriced beers.

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The same event, three entirely different perspectives. Why? Because the game itself isn’t inherently good or bad—it just is. What makes it meaningful is how each person internalizes it. Here’s the kicker (Buckner for the win): The world isn’t out to get you, but it’s also not cheering for you either. That lucky jersey? The pregame beer chug with your left hand? They don’t impact the outcome. This isn’t discouragement; it’s a reminder that most people aren’t plotting against you, they’re just trying to live their own lives and get what they want. When a deal falls through or a customer moves on, it’s not a conspiracy, it’s just a changing environment and we need to react accordingly.

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The Stoic Perspective

In the grand scheme of things, we’re all pretty insignificant. Five years from now, this game won’t matter to 99.9% of people. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter to us right now.

And it certainly doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to live as a person of character, integrity, and service. Cheer for the Chiefs. Boo the Eagles. Just don’t let these moments blind us to the bigger picture, like the fact that the opposing fans shelled out $5,000 for their seats too.

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As Marcus Aurelius might remind us: Control what you can. That’s our actions, our perspective, and our appreciation of the game (and life). Everyone else is living their own experience, which we can’t control.

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Final Thought

Perspective changes everything. Whether you’re at the Super Bowl, negotiating a deal, or locked in a heated debate, stepping back and seeing the bigger picture can bring clarity—and maybe even some common ground.

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Enjoy the game, appreciate the skill on the field, be happy to witness the greatness of Chris Jones. Respect the other fans, even if they’re wearing Green and, let’s be honest, stink. Go Chiefs!