When dealing with people, challenges, conflict and problems it is best to take the bird’s eye view. This is very hard to do. When we are engaged in an encounter we always look at things from our own perspective. You judge another’s actions based on how it impacts you and your current condition. This slows down or shuts down your ability to see things for what they are. It absolutely disrupts your ability to see the larger view, the grander perspective at play. So next time you are talking to someone about a challenge, try this. Think about “zooming out” and see what is going on from the perspective of all the people involved, all the people not involved. Think about the the entire community, the entire society.
In fact go this far. Think about the problem you are dealing with from the perspective of the highest mountain close to you. What does the problem look like now? In fact, pretend you are working on this problem from the space station orbiting the planet. What does this problem look like now? In fact, why not look at the problem as if you were in a distant solar system, how would you think about it then. Perspective is everything. Now I am not saying, that a Martian would understand how to answer your conflicts better than you, however, it helps to remove yourself from the immediate view and think a larger scale. Perspective can help you think through what is really important. What is the most important consideration.
I find myself in a dog fight over a little issue. Then I zoom out, and I realize that I would get the same result regardless of the outcome, so then why am I fighting about it all? We need to see it all, so that we can make a better judgement about where to spend our time.
Guy Reams
