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Creating Opportunity Through Perception

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH PERCEPTION

By Ben LaMasters

The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't being said.  ~Author Unknown

Perception, Point of View, Conceptualization, these are all similar words that demonstrate one of man’s most powerful abilities: the ability to take what is “perceived” and use it as a basis in the formation of a new thought process. We are all faced with difficulties and challenges in our lives, but what makes some of us rise to the occasion, while others let the tide wash over them and give up? The answers are simpler than you might think.

The first thing we must consider is how we form our perceptions, and the different sources that lead us there. Perception is defined as “to become conscious of, or recognize through the senses.” This may seem obvious, but we base our perceptions on what we are given. For example, if an individual tells you a particular movie was boring, then we can be predisposed to have a certain perception towards it. Outside influences include opinions of people you know, things you have read or seen on TV and in movies, music that you listen to, and even the area you live in. Of course there are many more, but be aware that everything contributes to your perception, either through direct influence or passive suggestion. The other source of sensory input doesn’t come from outside us, but from our past experiences. We naturally take the past results of our actions to determine new actions, and predictions as to their results. All too often, if an individual has a negative experience, it will form the perception that the event, if repeated, will have another negative experience. The opposite is also true, but everyone loves a positive experience so it is rarely noted as a forming of perception. David G. Myers, who wrote Social Psychology, stated “There is an objective reality out there, but we view it through the spectacles of our beliefs, attitudes, and values.” I encourage you to look at your perceptions, but more importantly, look at what formed those perceptions.

Earlier, I referred to conceptualization as one of our most powerful abilities. What makes this one of our most powerful abilities? The answer is quite simple, really. You are in complete control of your perception, in the fact that you base your opinions and views around the input you have received, and make a decision on how to view the situation. An interesting fact, however, is that most people never bother to examine their own perceptions, let alone change them. It is this decision that is so vitally important to understand. Simply put, by choosing not to decide, you have made a choice. Once we understand what we want, we can decide on a course of action to take advantage of what we have perceived. Once we know what we want, we can shift our perceptions to better serve our purpose. This is our great power. For example, you are working on a group project and have a disagreement with someone about how to proceed. If a negative perception is formed, we would have a reservation towards any further suggestions from that person. Contrary, we can take a positive perception of “at least they are contributing to the group” and move on. The same is true in business. Many believe that they are limited by what has already been done, and the perception that people have of them. By changing your perception of yourself, other’s perceptions will change reactively towards that new image. By understanding what creates perceptions, we can influence both ourselves and others to the perceptions that benefit us. Tony Robbins stated “Using the power of decision gives you the capacity to get past any excuse to change any and every part of your life in an instant.” His words display the great power that all of us have, but so rarely use.

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