Elevate your perspective.
We are most impressed by what we can see and hear now. But by overemphasizing the present, we lose perspective on our long term goals. People who are reactive to present events are most susceptible to manipulation. A more elevated perspective gives patience and clarity to reach almost any objective.
Elevate your perspective rather than react to everything in front of you.
Train yourself to see the bigger picture, by detaching yourself from the heat of the moment. Calm emotions of fear or excitement. Analyze the consequences of taking an action. Asking yourself if taking some action aligns with your long-term goals.
Avoid long-term contact with people who are too narrow-sighted.
4 Signs of Shortsightedness
1) Unintended consequences
It’s naïve to think that A will lead to B, which will lead to C. It’s more complicated than that. Events, and other people, will come into play and change the dynamics. Go through the possible negative consequences to at least become aware of some ways in which a plan can derail. Think as deeply as you can while considering different deviations.
A new TV might look like a good bargain. But that might mean you end up spending way more time in front of the TV so it will have been worth it. But is spending a bunch more time in front of the TV helping you achieve your goals?
2) Tactical Hell
If you find yourself in arguments on all fronts just to protect your ego, you’ve probably lost sight of your long-term goal. Ask yourself what your values really are, and refocus your attention away from useless arguments that don’t get you closer to your goals.
3) Ticker Tape Fever
Constant news updates, and social media in particular, are a constant barrage of novelty. If you’re reacting to all these updates to guide decisions, then you may have the fever, and you need to refocus your energy towards your long term vision. This will require patience, but calm and clarity will be your reward.
4) Lost in Trivia
It’s easy to drown in a sea of information. With a solid vision and long-term goals, you can weed out the non-essentials. Steer the ship, but don’t get bogged down in the details.
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My thoughts:
This has an analog in Christian thought- the eternal perspective. The idea being not to get too swept up in the things of this world. But to recognize we are laying up for ourselves treasures where moth and rust don’t corrupt. In other words we’re looking beyond the dividends that pay in this life, of which we are told is likened to the smoke from a fire that is snuffed out- here…then gone.
Obviously, Greene’s perspective isn’t THAT long-term, but I still appreciate the practical insights.