Know it or not, there is something holding you back. Something all-pervasive. It’s been with you since you were young. And the longer you’ve lived with it, the more you’ve accepted it as the status quo. It’s the predominant way you view the world, and because of that, the results you get in life are largely determined by it. You may step outside of it on occasion, but like a momentary lapse, it never takes.
This is the lens through which you view life.
The lens through I which I view the world is something along the lines of:
The world is unsafe, and I’m not important.
Your lens is probably some other flavor of the same ice cream.
I’ve been sitting with this lens since yesterday when I had a conversation about it with my coach. I’ve been reflecting on the impact that this has had on my life.
Now, it’s easy to say, “it impacts everything,” and that would be true. But I’m also looking specifically at how it has impacted me. Without becoming present to its full impact, it’s hard to cause completion with it. And if I don’t cause completion with it, I will continue to live with the impact.
One thing I started to see was that this lens a) stops me from asking, or b) stops me from making powerful asks. Not always, and not every time. But much of the time.
Imagine a life restricted by requests not made, as well as requests not made in a way that’s gotten by others, or requests made in a way that doesn’t land for the people being asked.
This has produced a lot of ambiguity in life.
I’ve come far on this journey, and I’ve accomplished a great deal. But most of that has come without the active participation and agreement of others.
I’m glad I’m in a leadership and management program that’s having me confront what’s in the way. Because I know I will ultimately be able to rise higher faster and with purpose if I’m fully unleashed in communication.
So, here are some questions for you:
- What is your all-pervasive lens of the world?
- What impact has this lens had on your life? Don’t just look at the surface level. Dig deep and discover specifically what’s there for you.
- How has your life been restricted to this point? What opportunities have you missed? If you were fully self-expressed, where could you have made a difference? Who could you have contributed to? Get present to the many ways you have been stopped in life.
- Would you like to cause completion with this lens? Speculate on conversations you could have to drop your need to look good or avoid looking bad.
Take a moment to reflect.
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