Any idea as to what Keith Richards and George W. Bush have in common? Tired of guessing? Well, in a word, me.
I love autobiographies, and within the last month, just finished both of these. As someone who is a huge Stones fan, and someone who loves American politics, both these individuals were of interest to me. As someone who worked in Afghanistan in 2005, it was interesting to read about Bush’s rationale for starting the war there after the attack on America on Sept. 11, 2001.
Last week, after a friend of mine pointed out what eclectic reading tastes I had, I got me thinking. So many of us, myself included, are very habit bound and do the same things day in and day out. I love the following joke, which illustrates that point: What’s the difference between a rut and a grave? Answer: The depth.
So often, without even realizing it, we do things on autopilot. Habits become ruts, which we CAN take to our grave. To avoid this all too common trait, shake it up once in a while, by exposing yourself to different people and different perspectives, like I did by reading the autobiographies of those polar opposites, Keith Richards and George W. Bush.
Doing so will broaden your horizons, and give you perspectives that you wouldn’t have without this exposure to people, experiences and ways of thinking that are not your own. This is one of the more powerful services that I provide for my coaching clients, because different perspectives lead to different options, which lead to new and sometimes surprising results.
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To gain a new perspective on something you’ve been wrestling with, expose yourself to some opinion, person or experience that isn’t normally on your radar. This might include joining a book club, going to a talk on a subject that doesn’t interest you, or hanging out with some people that think differently than you.
By doing so, what did you learn about yourself, about others and about your world view? As Dr. Phil says, “How’s that (current perspective) working for you?” If it is, continue on. If it isn’t, what about your recent exposure to something new can you use and integrate, to help you be a more effective you?
At its essence, that’s what coaching is about, deepening the learning and furthering the action. Or, as Maya Angelou says, when we know better, we do better.
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