The minute you make up your mind that
the way you see things makes a difference, it will make a
difference in the way you see things … and do things.
Today, surveys suggest that 79% of
Americans believe the world is heading in the wrong
direction. This article is about changing the direction we
are heading one worldview at a time.
A worldview is defined as "the overall
perspective from which one sees and interprets the world;"
and "a collection of beliefs about life and the universe."
My strategy for changing directions is promoting an expanded
open and inclusive collective worldview, (reducing dogma and
exclusiveness) which I believe will contribute to creating a
positive future.
The theme of World Future 2008 is
"Seeing the Future Through New Eyes." To see the future
through a new set of lenses we need to cultivate new
worldviews. Seeing through new eyes is speaking
metaphorically. It means having a new perspective or seeing
differently. To me it means having an expanded worldview.
Old eyes, old ways of seeing, may be a handicap going to a
future where no one has been.
The problem is: If we do not change
our direction, we are quite certain to end up where we are
heading, Chinese Proverb. A positive future will
require a new direction. A new direction will require a new
view. A new view will require a new way of seeing. If enough
people make up their minds that the way they see things
makes a difference, it will make a difference in the way
they see things … and do things.
Why an Expanded Open and
Inclusive Collective Worldview?.
Don’t be an optimist or a
pessimist, be a possibilist.
Max
Learner
I believe current individual
worldviews that are dogmatic and closed-minded and those
that are exclusive and divisive are determining the
direction we are heading. More open and more inclusive
beliefs behind our collective way of seeing will help us
change directions
An open worldview is receptive to new
ideas and likely to see possibilities. It will help reduce
absolute certainty (dogmatism) and stimulate the creation of
new ideas (creativity). Nothing is more dangerous that an
idea, when it is the only one you have. Emile Chartier
An inclusive worldview is receptive to
interconnectedness and is likely to see possibilities. It
will help reduce divisive imaginary barriers (exclusion) and
stimulate mutual trust (collaboration). If we can see
ourselves as connected, yet ignorant of most of the
connections, then we have little choice but to be
compassionate. Donald Michael
The Way We See the Problem IS
the Problem.
We must learn to see the
world anew.
Albert
Einstein
In my opinion, the way we see the
problem is the problem; and the way to solve the
problem is to see differently. If we see the problem is not
our problem, or a solution is not possible, or we don’t know
what to do, then we don’t seek solutions, or we expect
someone else to solve it. We need to make up our minds that
the way we see things makes a difference.
How many expanded worldviews would it
take to change the direction the world is heading? I don’t
know, of course, but there is a "tipping point," the moment
of critical mass, the point of epidemic change as explained
by Malcolm Gladwell in his best selling book of that title
in 2000.
Can we create an "epidemic" of
open-mindedness and inclusiveness one worldview at a time?
To reach that tipping point requires that we rethink the way
we see --- and to believe the tipping point is possible. Do you
believe it is possible?
What you believe influences what you
see. If you don’t believe changing the direction we are
heading is possible, you don’t see possibilities. Not seeing
possibilities isn’t a good way to solve the problem. To see
differently is to pay close attention to what you see and don’t
see, to the beliefs behind your view, and to the future
consequences of your believing and seeing.
Paying Attention Intentionally --- to
What You Don’t See
"The eye sees in things what it looks
for and it looks for
what is already in the mind."
Scientific School of Police, Paris
A story about Sherlock Holmes and Dr.
Watson on a camping trip demonstrates the importance of
intentionally paying attention. As they lay down for the
night…
Holmes: "Watson, look up into the sky
and tell me what you see."
Watson: "I see millions of stars."
Holmes: "And what does that tell you?"
Watson: "Astronomically it tells me
that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.
Theologically it tells me that God is great and we are small
and insignificant. Meteorologically it tells me that we will
have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?"
Holmes: "It tells me that somebody
stole our tent."
The story is funny because it seems
absurd and yet we can all somehow identify with it.
It is said, "If you want to hide the
treasure, put it in plain sight. Then no one will see it."
We don’t pay attention to something
obvious because we are so interested in something else, as
was Watson. He failed to notice the missing tent, but he
also failed to notice that he failed to notice.
A well-trained detective learns to
avoid that mental-visual trap of seeing only what it looks
for, only what it pays attention to. Failing to notice
what you failed to notice and that you failed to
notice leads to an exclusive view. You don’t see the hidden
treasures, right before your eyes. .
Paying attention intentionally is
keeping your eye on what you don’t see. What you don’t see
includes what you can’t see (the hidden wholeness) and what
you don’t want to see (your "belief biases blind spots"). It
is your seeing with "old, habitual eyes."
"Out of necessity we
learn to run on ‘auto-pilot, paying attention mechanically
and passively most of the time. This underscores the need to
pay attention deliberately and voluntarily, thereby
liberating our awareness from robotic activity."
Daniel
Goleman
Metaphor has a way of "causing" you to
see things in a different way. Here is a metaphoric method
for paying attention.
Computer Metaphor: See Yourself as
Your Greatest Technology
Marilyn Ferguson
There is no technological device, no
matter how sophisticated, that can equal the power,
flexibility, creativity and user friendliness of the human
mind.
To see yourself as your greatest
technology is to see your mind as your greatest resource.
The software of your computer sends a set of coded
instructions to tell it what to look for and what to do. The
software programs your computer. Your worldview is the
software that programs your mind the same way your computer
is programmed; it provides operating instructions.
The Dalai Lama says,
Our minds are the source, and properly directed, the
solution to all our problems. Expanding our way of
seeing to be more open and inclusive would be using our
minds to see differently.
In computer terminology, your mind’s
software sends a set of coded instructions to tell your eye
what to look for, which tells you what to see and do.
Someone else programs your computer software; but you
program your mind’s eye software. Your mind is the author of
its own software.
"Human self-deception is one of the
most impressive software programs ever devised."
David Nyberg.
We know the computer software that
controls the functioning of your computer needs to be kept
up-to-date. So does the software (your beliefs and
worldview) that controls the functioning of the way you see
things. Most people make sure their computer software is
up-to-date but fail to pay attention to their mind’s eye
software.
How often do you update your beliefs
and worldview? Can you identify one or two of the collection
of beliefs about life and the universe that make up your
worldview? What "software" do you use to "re-program" your
mind? The computer software metaphor gives us a way of
thinking and talking about our way of seeing.
I realize there is no delete button
for biased, exclusive, closed-minded, dogmatic beliefs, and
that I am not able to offer a software program that will
provide a default position for an open, inclusive worldview.
My point is that belief is the search engine of the mind. So
identify and pay attention to the search engine of your
mind.
Are you "programmed" to see the world
a certain way? Do you want to contribute to changing the
direction the world is heading?
If Not You, Who? If Not Now, When?
"You must be the change
you wish to see in the world."
Mahatma
Gandhi
Will you be part of this
critical mass "word-of-mouth epidemic" to change the world’s
direction? You will want to do something now
to contribute to the creation of a positive, sustainable
future for everyone if you think it is possible --- and
if you care. Caring will get you to focus on what’s
possible, not on what’s wrong. Marvin Weisbord shows how
this means asking different questions: "I use to ask,
what’s wrong and how can we fix it?" "Now I ask what’s
possible and who cares?" Paying attention and an open
and inclusive worldview helps you see the possibilities ---
but the caring is up to you.
The real voyage of discovery is not in seeking
new landscapes but in having new eyes.
Marcel
Proust
NOTE: This article is part of a series of newsletters by
H B called The Process of Illumination. To read past
newsletters or to subscribe free to future ones, go to:
www.gelattpartners.comAbout the author:
H B Gelatt is the creator of Positive Uncertainty, a
philosophy of decision making in uncertain times. In 2001, H
B and his wife, Carol Gelatt, co-founded Gelatt Partners
to
assist individuals and organizations change, grow and
succeed. In 2003 they co-authored the 2nd edition of the
popular decision making book
Creative Decision Making Using Positive Uncertainty.
His educational background includes doctoral and master's
degrees in counseling psychology from Stanford University
and a bachelor's degree in psychology from San Jose State
University.
He may be contacted at
hb@gelattpartners.com
or call him at 650.967.8345.
Readers Comments:
♦
I am glad to read about your view of career counseling and
career decision making. I am a translator, English -Arabic.
One day I would like to translate one of your books if you
don't mind.
Fatima Sarayrah
fatima_sarayrah@yahoo.com
♦
Great work. This
is what I have been looking for since this is the
way I feel and think. Thank you.
Paul D.
