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Perceptual Thinking: Mind Your Mindset — Your Success Depends On It
The thinking patterns that shape how we view the world
Every event in life can be seen from two different perspectives. Good or bad. Opportunity or obstacle. Positive or negative. And problem or possibility.
And you are either optimistic or pessimistic about what happens to you. Winston Churchill was right, “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.”
The thinking pattern or mindset you adopt changes your response to every event. So in effect, the perspective you adopt determines your version of reality. You are what you believe to be true — your beliefs, assumptions, attitude, habits, are all down to your mindset.
The perception has evolved based on your experiences — the people who raised you, the people closest to you, the relationships you’ve built deliberately and unconsciously.
As John Lobbock said: “What we see depends on what we look for.”
What’s your lens? How do you perceive the events in your life? Most people look for justifications to convince themselves that their filters are the only thing that matters.
Your perspective, lens or filter determines what you see, how you see and what you slope yourself to experience in life. “The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend,” argues Robertson Davies.
Using a perspective can limit or improve your life. The good news is, your can change, improve or upgrade your lens. You can open yourself to new ways of experiencing life. You can learn ancient wisdom to react better to even things beyond your control.
Psychologists call it selective perception — the tendency to see things based on your thinking patterns. Or choosing to ignore evidence that doesn’t support your worldview.
Your perception is your reality
“It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” — Dale Carnegie
