People See Things Differently
People see things differently and understanding this can make a big difference in how we deal with others. The phrase, “their perspective” what does it really mean? In this post, I may repeat things because of the importance of really understanding what I’m talking about.
You’ve heard “the world according to…”, or “it’ your opinion”, or “everyone has their own perspective”.
It’s easy to say that everyone has their own perspective, but saying or hearing it is different from really understanding it. If you did have an understanding of how people see things differently, then maybe it would mean more to you and how you view your clients.
There is true and there is the truth. We can say that “true” is what is true to each individual, their belief; and “truth” would be a universal truth, what everyone would agree on. Like the world is round, that would be “truth: Everyone has their own “true” based on their viewpoints. We see things differently because each person has their own “true”, and it is this “true” that I am talking about.
Example: You have two kids that go into the ocean. They both come out and one says they loved it, the waves were amazing, they feel really refreshed. The other kids says, I hated it, I got sand all over me, the water was too rough. They both did the same thing but their experiences were different.
If we all could understand how people are programmed then it may be easier not to judge them, knowing that in each persons’ mind, they feel they are correct.
How Do People Get Their Opinion or View of the World?
It’s based on our own personal experiences and how we filter the information that comes into our heads.
Basically, the information goes into our brains, then it’s filtered then it comes out. Our filters and the way we see things are based on our experiences are values, which includes everything from the time we are born.
If you receive lots of love you will see the world one way, if you encounter abuse in your life you will see the world a different way. So now take in every experience we’ve encountered and it forms part of who we are and how we view the world.
Information is taken in by our senses by either hearing, seeing and/or feeling something.
Since we take in millions of information at one time we would have to filter it or we would have an overload. There are 3 filters that do this. 1. Deletion, 2. Distortion and 3. Generalization. These filters in addition to our beliefs, values, attitudes, and experience cause us to see the world a certain way.
What Does All This Do For You?
Now that you have an understanding of how people see things differently, does it make sense that each person’s views are their own?
Who are we to say they are wrong, in their mind they are right. Because it’s their own personal way of looking at things based on their experiences, values, etc?
We all have different viewpoints which are based on having our own personal experiences which affect our belief system.
So instead of judging someone or arguing with them, maybe just see them as someone with a different viewpoint, that they see things differently.
Knowing that each person views things differently should eliminate the salesperson from trying to sell to their prospects based on their (the salespersons) belief system. Instead, the salesperson can ask questions to determine how their prospects see things. Then based on that information, they can then present in a way that the prospect will relate to.
Everything said and done, it is still very possible to change someone’s viewpoint. The question is, how can it be done without insulting or being argumentative? I’ll save that for another post.
Next time you meet someone which has a different opinion, you will hopefully understand how people see things differently, that in their mind they are right and maybe you can you deal with them in a positive constructive way.