The burden of absolutes

One common barrier to growth is the belief of absolutes. You might see it everyday - people thinking they have absolute truth, or struggling to find that one thing that explains everything, the one answer. It’s just as much about safety in certainty as it is about fear of the unknown. What’s funny is that fear of the unknown might mean fear of possibility.

One important thing I’ve learned is that any single problem has more than one solve. It might seem obvious in retrospect, but it’s not- especially when we cling to OUR SOLVE. THIS WAY IS THE WAY. ABSOLUTELY.

Of all things, role playing video games taught me that different people can solve the same problem in different ways. Say you’re in the middle of a snowy pass, on your way to a city and see a yeti ahead, blocking the path. What do you do? In a role playing game, a druid can charm the yeti, a thief can hide in shadows and pass around it, a mage can put a spell on it to make it sleep, a fighter can… fight it. Is one way better than others? Maybe. But these are all roles you can play, options to solve the same problem.

Let’s bring it closer to home. Day to day life, magic happens when you steer away from what you know, the one role you usually play or the path that you already know. Here’s something you can try right now: instead of the more efficient taxi or metro or bus… take a walk to your friend. Better yet, when you visit her again, take another route altogether. And next time, another one. And instead of passing through, take your time to observe your surroundings, to feel your way around the city. And therein lies possibility. Discovery. Growth. Curiosity. Instead of a traveller, you become an Explorer. A Detective. A Pathfinder.

Do what you’re doing… differently. If you’re stuck, you might get someplace else this way. ABSOLUTELY.