We’ve talked a lot about perspective lately. Then I saw a short video by Barry Hall II. I thought it was great and decided to make this a short blog by sharing.
Barry started with a video of a person spray painting some graffiti on a building that said
Just Do Nothing
That’s often a perspective that people take. They think “If I ignore it, it will go away. Just do nothing.”
Problems don’t go away. Innovation doesn’t happen. Nothing good comes from a perspective of “Just do nothing.”
His next frame was another person painting more graffiti on the wall around the corner that says
It is Impossible
Of all the possible perspectives, I may have seen this one the most often. It’s just not possible. If this is your perspective than there is no reason to try. There is no reason to search for alternative perspectives. Innovation will never happen. It’s more than being difficult, it’s the belief that it’s impossible.
His final frame steps back at an angle so that both walls can be seen at the same time (an entirely new perspective). Now the viewer sees a much different message than was provided by the first two sketches.
Just Do It, Nothing is Impossible
Step back, take a look at your situation from a different perspective and new possibilities might be seen.
The next time you’re faced with a difficult situation, listen. What are you hearing?
- Just Do Nothing
- It is Impossible
More importantly, don’t just listen to voices outside your own head. Pay attention to what you’re saying to yourself. Do you start with Do Nothing or It’s Impossible? It’s OK that we start there. I think it’s part of our human nature. But don’t leave it there!
Start thinking about how you could do things differently. What perspective would be entirely new?
There are a few books that can help on this front.
- A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas by Warren Berger
- Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get out of Your Own Way by Steven Pressfield
- Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments by Kent Keith
Just do it, nothing is impossible.