What is the best approach to life?: Perspective, Perspective, Perspective. Pardon the paraphrase of the popular "how to make it in real estate" mantra.While the term "360 degree" view is compelling perhaps, when speaking of Customer Relationship Management or working relationships (watch your back, comes to mind here), I find a "looking at life through a mail slot" approach to be effective.
For those of you that rarely use the steel receptacles that are available at every street corner for "snail mail" (pre-dates email inbox), let me briefly describe them (see graphic above).
The epitome of "ugly", they are nonetheless very efficient. There are only two ways to gain access - a swinging door in front in which mail can be placed, and a larger one in back that is locked and can only be accessed by an authorized representative.
Image for a moment that you are inside this box. The only view you would have to the outside world would be when someone pulled down the lid in front, or back. In the case of the former, your vision is limited to what is ahead of you. No rear-view or side-view mirrors on these babies!
Which is precisely my point. Sometimes we spend to much time "looking around us", practicing "referential thinking" when we really can't do anything about the past, and the real-time pace at which we live is often overwhelming. Further, we open up our lives via relationships and pastimes like Social Media, over schedule ourselves and our kids, and increase our vulnerability.
Sometimes we just need to sit in our "mailbox" and think. Open the slot and look ahead to the future. Limit access by only allowing a few ways to "get to you". And Listen. Listen to your Inner Voice, and to your children. It is here you will find authenticity.
Most of all, trust your intuition, your unique perspective and vision. You'll find it inside the Steel Mailbox.
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