That's the superficial top layer.
It can go so much deeper.
Picture an iceberg...the tip of the iceberg. It's the only thing that you can see and we know there's so much more below the surface.
It could be the symptom or maybe it's the final straw.
How do you know?
There are several perspectives to consider when you're looking for answers.
First and most obvious is your own perspective. You know what's underneath it all, you can tell that story. It's your experience. Reviewing the situation through your own eyes.
That's one perspective.
Another perspective?
From the perspective of others who are or were close to that situation who could describe it from how they saw it...how they experienced it. You may not necessarily agree with them...because of course, they're also telling it from their particular lens. Look at it as information. And if no one was actually involved? Imagine how someone else might have experienced the situation.
And finally, consider the situation from a spectator's viewpoint. What?
Picture being at a sporting event or maybe a concert where you're in the mid level seats. You can get a pretty good idea of what's going on but not necessarily hear the words that are being said...but you can see the behaviours and inevitably draw some conclusions...rightly or not... you get another layer to the story.
So why do we think we know what's going on over there when we only have the one perspective. Ours. How are you supposed to know what the thing is when it's embedded in so many other things?
I think a good place to start might be:
Get curious.
Ask questions.
Don't make assumptions.
Back to that iceberg picture that we often see where you can only see the top...the thing that finally came to the surface. In that visual you can see that there's so much more going on beneath it.
Where are you making an assumption right now, thinking that the thing that you see is the actual thing?
Are you ready?
Let's get to it...
Your challenge...
Think of a situation where you're scratching your head, trying to figure it out. Wondering what's going on when you only have the top of the iceberg as your reference point?
What if you take a moment now to explore the three potential perspectives?
Your perspective, how do you see this?
What are you assuming from your perspective?
Theirs.
What if you imagined stepping into their experience?
A spectator’s.
What would an uninvolved party see that you can't? What wisdom could they add to this particular situation?
What new information do you gain after looking at this situation from all these perspectives? What's different now?
It's getting close to the time of year where the pressure can be high and patience low. Remember...be curious and kind and don't make assumptions.
Ready to shift your mindset in 2026? Contact me and let's set up your FREE chemistry call.
Cheers,
Ann
*Confidence *Mindset *Performance Coach *Author
www.steppingstonecoaching.ca
Here’s the thing about things…it’s rarely about the thing…