How an Outside Perspective Can Change Your Life

Are you a fish who needs some tennis shoes?

You might be! Here’s what I mean…

Last week I was conducting an Editor Session call with one of my clients. Now this client, who I’ll call Beth, is a high-achieving go-getter who runs a successful business that is thisclose to raking in seven figures per year. Not only that, but Beth has a husband and 2 adorable school-aged daughters who she loves very much.

Seriously, just give this lady a cape because she’s Superwoman.

As we were going through the process of life-editing, Beth happened to mention that she spends several hours a week cleaning her house.

“What?!? You still clean your own house?” I couldn’t believe it.

“Well, of course,” said Beth. “I’m home all day, so shouldn’t I be the one to clean the house?”

Keep in mind that Beth doesn’t like cleaning the house. It’s not a relaxing meditative practice or anything. She just feels obligated to do the housekeeping.

This woman has her own business that makes nearly a million dollars per year. A million dollars, people! And she spends her precious time scrubbing the toilet and mopping the floors.

One of my coaches likes to compare this narrow view to a fish who’s swimming around a pond. The fish doesn’t realize she’s in water because it’s such an ingrained part of her life.

But (and here’s where it gets wacky) if you give that fish a pair of tennis shoes so she can walk out of the pond and look back at where she was, she’ll finally see that she was in water.

When we’re entrenched in our own “stuff,” we can’t see it. We don’t see the big picture or recognize the silly mistakes we’re making.

That’s why we need an outside perspective to understand what’s really going on.

A close friend, family member, coworker, or coach could be a great outside perspective so you can get an objective look at what’s working in your life…and what’s not.

Beth didn’t realize it, but trying to do it all could end up hurting her family. Those extra hours she spent dusting and sweeping could be spent either having quality time with her husband and daughters, or working on her business to pay for things like their mortgage and college tuition.

That day, Beth added “hire a cleaning service” to her life story. All she needed was an outside perspective to help her see the whole picture.

OK, so maybe you don’t run a million-dollar company (yet), but I’ll bet you’re doing something that doesn’t make a lot of sense…if only you could see the outside perspective.

Do you need to step out of the pond and take a look around?

If you want help becoming a “fish with tennis shoes,” check out my Editor Session program. In one super-charged coaching call, I’ll help you delete, add, and rearrange your life into one amazing story. Click here to get your call.