Are You Sure?

Everyone has an opinion about this or that, and certainly, they are free to express their opinion. You have your opinions as well, right? Did you ever stop and consider your position on a particular matter? Ever question an opinion you hold? Or do you just accept it without a second thought? Most of us do just that. But if you take time to think about why you believe what you believe, you may be shocked at what you discover.

First, you may be surprised that you support a particular view or opinion on something the way you do. Your assessment of that point of view may leave you wondering how you arrived there. You may discover that you actually don't believe that and instead, you have a different position on the matter.

Next, and even more surprising, you may have absolutely no idea how you ended up with that opinion. Maybe you got it from the news or from a friend or coworker, but in the final analysis, you have to come to terms with thinking about the matter in a deeper way in order to determine where you stand.

Finally, you will most likely realize that whatever view you hold on a subject, it came through your own personal "filter." Yes, we all have filters in our subconscious that frames every thought and opinion we have. What we have come to believe about something may be true for us, but may not be true when assessed in the light of reality. We see things from our frame of reference, not necessarily how they really are.

As long as we know that our views are formed from the inside out and we are able to step back when necessary and challenge our thinking, we can have the best of both worlds. Having this knowledge also helps us understand how others think and even how our customers think. And that is worth its weight in gold.