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Welcome to Agua, a weekly newsletter where I provide tactics and stories to help leaders magnify their potential.
Today’s Top Takeaways:
It's important to live deliberately and avoid living on autopilot. Many of us are accustomed to living by other people's rules, which can cap our impact and limit our understanding of what truly motivates us.
To challenge assumptions, it's important to consider multiple perspectives and reflect on past experiences. Doing so can expand our understanding of the world and ourselves, and help us make more informed decisions.
All systems, frameworks, principles, theories, and methods were created by people, and it's essential to hold every rule as breakable. By challenging assumptions and considering multiple perspectives, we can develop the muscle of choice and determine which rules and guideposts resonate with our goals and values.
Hold Every Rule As Breakable
How Assumptions Are Capping Your Impact
via Midjourney
You’ve clearly figured something out.
You’ve optimized a process. You’ve built something profound. Your approach, idea, and execution had such an impact that others follow.
You’ve learned the systems, frameworks, and principles to make your way to the top. Yet, the ever-so-common answer upon arrival was, “How did I get here? Was this even the game I wanted to play? Was this the impact I really wanted to have? I’m not as happy as I thought I’d be.”
This is because many of us live on autopilot and live by other people’s rules. We live in a habit-driven culture. We’re always seeking to 10x our productivity.
Speed isn’t bad. I’m here to move fast, optimize, and be my best. Yet, living a life solely on autopilot and others’ mind maps caps one’s impact. If every part of your life abides by an existing script, you lack understanding and autonomy of what truly makes you tick.
Artificial intelligence could have more profound implications for humanity than electricity or fire.
We live in one of the most profound times in human history. We’re on the cusp of a revolution similar to the birth of the internet and the rise in smartphones. As the world moves faster and automation exponentially grows, now, more than ever, it’s essential to develop an understanding of where we’re directing our life force.
All systems, frameworks, principles, theories, and methods, were created by people. You’re as capable as each person who created these guideposts.
Hence, it’s essential to hold every rule, even what I share in this newsletter, as breakable. Here are three ways how:
Challenge Your Assumptions
Influenced by our personal experiences, cultural values, and biases, assumptions flood the rivers of our minds. They cloud the way we perceive and interpret information. They often lead to increased biases which limit our perspective.
Start by questioning what have you taken for granted or considered to be true without concrete evidence. What steps did you skip? What did you not account for? What did you assume to be something that it wasn’t?
Start this challenge by testing these three ways of thinking:
Consider Multiple Perspectives
There was a group of blind men who never came across an elephant before. They learn and imagine what the elephant is by touching it. Each man feels a different part of the elephant’s body. But, they each only touch one part.
From what they know of as the elephant, they describe their experience:
“Ah, an elephant is very curvy.”
“No, the elephant is like a stump of a tree.”
“No, the elephant is wet and cold.
“No, an elephant must be smooth and sharp.”
This old parable is called the Blind Men and an Elephant. Each man describes the elephant based on their own limited experience. Thus, their perspectives are different from each other. In some versions of the story, the men start to view each other as dishonest.
To challenge your thinking, consider your viewpoint. Consider the depth of perspectives in the room. What part of the elephant does your perspective illuminate? How does this impact your day-to-day decisions?
Variety in outlook is vital. Not only expands our understanding but also provides a mirror to the validity of our own thoughts and beliefs. Next time you’re testing something for size, try talking with someone from a different background, culture, or experience, or exploring different sources of information to expand your own way of thinking.
Reflect On Past Experiences
Take a moment to think about what happened yesterday. What specific moments shaped how you’re showing up right now? What places come to mind? What people flash forward in your mind? What colors, sounds, or smells were with you?
We perceive the external world through our sense doors. These senses shape our beliefs and influence the way we think. These beliefs can limit your perspective. They can guide you to formulate assumptions or judgments skewing the reality of your circumstance.
Reflect by asking yourself open-ended questions such as:
What have I learned [insert time period]? Ex) Last week, today, in this meeting. Give yourself permission to play with the elevation here.
How have these past experiences shaped my beliefs and values?
What effect did the environment or people have?
The muscle you’re building through challenging your assumptions, considering multiple perspectives, and reflecting on past experiences provides choice. Does the rule you’re integrating resonate and support where you’re looking to go? Or, are you blindly following the direction of someone else?
See you next week,
Rachel
Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:
CEO Coaching: CEO coaching for high-growth founders. I work with top CEOs and founders to unleash their superpowers, surpass their goals, and thrive in the process while scaling their companies. Learn more here.
Self-Paced Courses: Learn proven strategies, systems, and tactics to perform at your best, maximize your potential, and achieve lasting results. Check out Master Your Inner Game and Magnify Your Potential Masterclass.
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How was this post?Reply to this email or mention me on social at @racheldweissman when you test out anything I shared above. I’d love to hear what resonates, or not, and what other approaches you tried. In the meantime, how was today's post? What can be improved? |
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