Perspective

I'll be honest with you. I didn't give the amount of time, thought or planning that I normally put into these posts. I've been on vacation for the last two weeks. And while I wrote articles for the time I was away, I failed to account for the post that needed to go out immediately after my return. Therefore, the format of this week's post will be a little shorter that usual.

After years of planning and saving, my wife and I finally took our big trip to Europe. It was an amazing trip and has sparked a lot of internal dialogue. Few things grant new perspective the way international travel can. Seeing how people around the world live and treat one another is a powerful experience. Witnessing how other societies address similar challenges and hearing what their citizens think really broadens your horizons.

With these admittedly vague thoughts floating around in my head, I just wanted to share an interesting and challenging quote from Bertrand Russell:

“In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.”

It's important to keep an open mind to new approaches and solutions. Without reevaluating what you're doing, it is impossible to make improvements.

There's nothing to fear from questioning the status quo. If, after reexamination, you decide that you're already going in the right direction you don't have to make a change. However, stubbornness and refusal to even consider adapting is one of the biggest pitfalls in business, relationships and life.

Take Action

This week, seek out new perspectives and views. Question your current methods and direction. You don't have to take a big trip to find new perspective. Simply talking to people with different experiences and opinions can lead to important revelations. Keep and open mind and ask yourself, "Could I be mistaken about this?"