What is a paradigm shift? Here is how the dictionary describes it: an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way.
Since the onset of the pandemic, we all had to alter our usual lifestyles. Since we could not do things the way we did them before, we found ways. Many of us had their food delivered, and many worked from home instead of their offices. We had to shift paradigms.
Real estate agents, brokers, and large companies also had to adapt to the changes. And they adapted. Some changes will remain permanent, because they worked, and some will not.
The migration between states is frequently happening these days as many people are settling into new states. It is important to appreciate and cultivate a knowledge and understanding of cultural differences.
No doubt, you have been in a situation when you thought you were “on the same page” with someone or a client, only to discover that, you were actually a world apart?
You were looking at and talking about the exact same set of facts, but you both were aligned to a different model of thinking or paradigm that yielded alternative meanings. To bridge the gap in understanding the only answer is a paradigm shift.
It can be an astonishing revelation to discover that other people do not see things in the same way you do and can still be right. The ability to shift paradigms can help you to understand more people and avoid arguments that seem unsolvable.
It can also help you to become a better negotiator and more innovative, especially if your competition is prone to being entrenched in the status quo.
Try this experiment:
Look at the wooden boxes in the image above.
Focus on the darker brown square.
Does the dark square appear to be on the right side of the boxes facing right?
Or, does the dark square appear to be on the top surface with the boxes facing left?
Can you switch back and forth by softening your focus?
Shifting paradigms takes practice. But, the rewards are immeasurable. You literally need to think “outside of the box” using this example, to shift your thinking.
The next time you are speaking with someone who sees exactly the same set of facts that you are looking at but is coming up with a completely different interpretation, think of these boxes. Two sides of an argument really can be right sometimes. Take the time to loosen your grip on your fixed way of viewing things and try to see things their way.
Your perspective will always be there again when you come back. It doesn’t mean you have to take actions that go against your grain. At the very least your life will become richer because you have learned a “new language” of perception. And learning something new is a benefit because you understand people that much better.