"We do not see things as they are...we see them as WE are"

The above quote is attributed to the prominent writer Ana?s Nin in 1961, this maxim was better articulated by the late great Stephen Covey in his best-selling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People when he quoted that “each of us tends to think we see things as they are, that we are objective. But this is not the case. We see the world, not as it is, but as we are. When we open our mouths to describe what we see, we in effect describe ourselves – that is, our perceptions, our paradigms.”

And of course, our perceptions and presumptions and prejudices and preconceptions can dramatically alter the way we perceive the world. In Napoleon Hill’s famous self-help book Think and Grow Rich Hill interprets this saying in a similar way…”to put it plainly, seeing is not believing -believing is seeing. We see things not as they are, but as we are. Our perceptions are shaped by our previous experiences.”

Never has this old adage meant so much (to me at least) than right now, with all that is happening across the world, especially with this year’s COVID19 pandemic and the lockdown mania that it’s caused. 

Everyone appeared to be seeing things from so many different perspectives, resulting in so many different experiences of the pandemic for each of us. Some gave in at the first hurdle – they accepted their fate and went and buried their heads under the duvet or in the sand or god forbid, stuck it in the metaphorical oven, burning all they’d got to dust and prayed for some kind of miracle to resurrect them from the ashes.

Others went into pretence mode or rather, denial mode about the situation. They refused to turn on the BBC news or listen to the radio or muscle in on the over-the-fence gossip (2 clear metres apart, obviously) the neighbours were having about the enormity of their plight – sticking fingers in ears at the slightest whiff or mention of the dreaded C word, pretending nothing was actually happening outside their insular world.

Ignorance really does feel like bliss, when we assume this stance, doesn’t it?

Then there were those who were getting angry and frustrated – and using this negative energy in many different ways. One day it was a good thing that they were losing their tempers, because it was fuelling the fire to take proper ACTION - like clearing out cupboards, repainting walls, spring-cleaning the kitchen or writing that book they’d never ever got round to before now. 

Then there were other days when the negative energy took hold – people lost it with their loved ones, their kids, their neighbours who constantly moaned about a situation that had hardly impacted them at all ('coz they were happily retired and didn’t have a single money worry in the world) or they found themselves screaming at the politicians on TV or stomping around the house, talking out loud to no one listening or even going fruit-loop altogether and throwing things around the bedroom, aimlessly firing at anything or anyone in their wake!

Then there were the bravest few – yes sadly, I believe these types were in the minority when it came to taking on the most effective perspective at catastrophic times like this on experienced in 2019. They truly did get it. They understood that maxim all too well…

"We do not see things as they are – we see them as we are" (Anias Nin)

"We see the world not as it is, but as we are" (Stephen Covey)

"We see things not as they are, but as we are" (Napoleon Hill)

Whatever way you slice it, all means the same thing. Perception is just everyone else’s reality. Fact.

These brave few men and women were CHOOSING to see things from a different perspective. They knew for sure that they couldn’t change what was happening in the world, although they also knew that they sure as hell could change their way of dealing with what was happening in the world at that time.

They chose to focus on all those things that were within their control – rather than fester on all those things that weren’t.

And that’s what they did – they learned to PIVOT all the things in their control - what they did, what they said, who they were!

Flexing their approach, their ethos, their practices, their methodologies, their very being.

They stretched outside their hoola-hoop like never before! Sure, it was a little uncomfortable for them. They’re only human too remember. 

However, they knew that they absolutely had to lose sight of the shore if they wanted to experience new horizons, so they were prepared to do the hard work at that time, that would make the recovery easier later.

Because, as our great leaders said - we will recover. This too shall pass. Lessons will be learned. Insights will be had and who knows, we may even be a better human race at the end of it all ??

So, whose camp are you in right now? 

Remember, we don’t see the world as it is - we see it as we are – so who are you?

The great news is, there’s never been a better time to be (or become) whoever you want to be!

I for one, am choosing to see things from a positive and optimistic viewpoint right now. No, not a fluffy woo-woo one, in case you’re wondering. Just working smart to build my resilience, my commitment (to myself and my business), my inner strength, my mindset, my life’s philosophy.

OPPORTUNITIESARENOWHERE

Yes indeed, opportunities are NOW HERE – that’s definitely MY perspective this week!

 What’s yours?