We all have lenses that influence what we see as important, what we pay attention to, what we take action on & what we ignore because we sense it’s unfamiliar, awkward, uncomfortable or simply not a priority.
In my last post I talked about how a question my then boyfriend asked me led to my curiousity being shaken & stirred, & ultimately the creation of Life Lenses® – a tool that helps illuminate the very lenses that shape our perceptions.
Are you a carrot or a mountain?
Two of the lenses are mountain & carrot. Last week I asked you to guess which one you were. Here’s a follow-up & a quick way to see if you’re a Mountain or Carrot Life Lens®.
Does the thought of organizing your clothes, your desk, your files, or your _______ (insert preference here) leave you blissed out, happy & relaxed? Do you tend to know where a certain report is from 5 years ago because you have a system for organizing stuff like that? Do people tend to ask you where stuff is, ‘cause that’s the way you roll? If so, chances are you’re a Carrot Life Lens®.
Do you find it easy to talk about strategy & vision? Do you find yourself putting together disparate things to come up with new ideas & trends? Did you groan at the thought of organizing your clothes, desk, files etc.? And if I told you that my mother (true story) alphabetizes her spices, do you just wrinkle your nose, raise your eyebrows in disbelief &/or shake your head in confusion? If so, chances are you’re a Mountain Life Lens®.
How does knowing you’re a carrot or a mountain help you?
One of the helpful things about increasing your perspective is being able to relate to others more easily. Let me give you a few examples.
Calling all Carrot Life Lenses®
Carrots here’s a tip if you’re dealing with a Mountain Life Lens®. Imagine yourself standing on top of a mountain. Would you be able to see that lovely red-breasted woodpecker in the cedar tree on the valley floor? Nope, no way.
While you naturally are focused on details (the lovely red breasted woodpecker sitting in the cedar tree), here’s the thing when you’re dealing with Mountains – don’t overwhelm them with detail. Keep it simple & big picture.
Calling all Mountain Life Lenses®
And here’s a tip to make life easy for you Mountains when dealing with Carrots. Imagine yourself standing on the valley floor – would you be able to see over the mountain & what’s coming up on the horizon? Nada.
While you naturally have your head up & focus on the big picture, when you’re dealing with Carrots they may think you’re being vague or confusing because they’re waiting for you to give the details. So do sketch in a limited amount of detail for Carrots (or better yet, ask them what kind of details they need).
Calling all Carrot and Mountain Life Lenses®
So dig in. Give me an example of your or someone you know, Carrot or Mountain Life Lens® perspective. I’d love to hear.
Me n’ my lists will be waiting.
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