I love Ted Talks. Not only are they amazing ways to learn from another person’s perspective but they always make a significant change in my life. One of my favorite Ted Talks would have to be “The Danger of A Single Story given by novelist Chimamanda Adichie.”
Twenty minutes everyone. Twenty minutes and I consumed improvement. I learned something revolutionary that my mind had never dared to journey into.
The danger of believing what we see.
But you might be saying, Michelle I’m thinking good things about others! Sure, you might have a positive image of someone but even this can prove dangerous. I’ll tell you why, it is because we never truly know what people are facing on the inside. When we develop assumptions we can generate problems and remove communication. This communication is something so vital as it relates to every area of success in our lives.
If you are struggling with communicating with someone, start spending time with them in the things that they enjoy. Instead of asking, “How was your day?”
Ask more direct questions that implore creativity such as:
“What surprised you today?”
“What are you looking forward to at the end of the year?”
Step into someone else’s world and find yourself immersed in it. Become willing to lose a piece of your pride in order to connect on a deeper level with others.
By looking at a person on the outside and already seeing what we believe we can blind ourselves from the truth. Let me say that again just for a spoonful of impact! Seeing what we believe can blind us from the truth. Ouch!
But the good news is Adichie’s talk helps us stop this frame of thinking in its tracks!
A powerful statement was given by Adichie.
“The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue but that they are incomplete they make one story become the only story.”
Today I challenge you to stop the single story. Ask one stranger that you encounter the question, “What are you looking forward to at the end of the year?”. What did they say? I’d love to hear it!
Please leave me a comment down below or send me an email at msrgbpro@gmail.com telling me what your one person said?
Looking forward to hearing from you!