Flatten Your Perspective

Obstacles look daunting in life and in business. Personal development coaches, trainers, and gurus will tell you to go around, go over, or break through them. However, when you are staring at the sheer wall of granite in front of you, that can seem impossible. That’s when it’s time to “flatten your perspective”. A 2-dimensional view can be far better than 3-D in these situations.

What I mean by that is to shift your perspective. Learning to view problems from different angles helps you to find solutions.

In order to do this, you need to elevate. Whenever possible, get an aerial view, aka 30,000 feet. What does this situation look like when viewed with the big picture in mind? If you know the higher purpose of your business and where it’s going, every obstacle looks smaller in proportion. The higher you get (and the bigger your higher purpose and vision are), the more a mountain appears to be a speed bump. Look at the photo at the beginning of this post. That is the Valley of the Moon in Jordan. Here it is again from satellite imagery:

Getting across may still be challenging, but it doesn’t look nearly so intimidating. Those mountains do not appear to be insurmountable. There may even be a path through them without ever having to climb.

It has been said that if the Earth were shrunk to the size of a billiard ball, even with Mt. Everest and the deepest of valleys, it would be smoother than a regulation cue ball. A higher purpose and a big vision help put problems into perspective.

When you struggle to elevate and get that higher perspective, rely on those who have come before. Very few areas/ideas are uncharted. Read books, listen to podcasts, or ask a mentor. Others who have been where you are will almost always provide the perspective you are missing.

When you get stuck, don’t stay stuck. Adopt a 2-D view and focus on the solution.

(There is a valuable tool and some productivity resources available for free at Secret Productivity Hacks.)