Moving Past Myopia

Photo credit to Jason Devaun

Sometimes, when we miss the gold medal, we tend to think we should double down and do more of what got us to this point. 

But sometimes, depending on the nature of the miss, doubling down just isn't good enough.

It isn't going to help you elevate your standing, improve your role or change your environment (at least not in the way you want it to change). It certainly won't convince those you want to convince who didn't buy your product in the first place.

Put differently, it isn't someone else's responsibility to give you the proverbial brass ring, it's yours to take it. And that means understanding the situation from all (competing) points of view.

If you haven't done your homework, taken the time to understand the other perspective, and you've missed it, then ultimately, you have no one to blame but yourself.

Yes, it's tempting to sit there and blame X or Y or Z reasons for whatever's happened, but it's pointless. A waste of time.

The better approach is to ask, what can I learn? What can I do different going forward? What do I need to change about myself in order to be better positioned in the future?

The answer(s) could be varied - more education, more empathy, greater outreach, clearer communications, etc. 

Yes, it's easy to lose yourself in the behaviors that have worked so far, that seem tried and true. But maybe this situation calls for something different. Maybe this situation calls for you to abandon your old concepts and push your boundaries. Maybe this situation calls for a return to the fundamentals of listening and then learning.

Myopia in the face of a changing environment has been the death of many of our would-be heroes.

So, don't lose yourself in your own myopia. It's hard, but you have to try.

Our future depends on it.