Your Blind Spots

On a cold March day in 1988, when I was 14, a Toyota Camry took me out on my bicycle. 

It remains among the scariest moments of my life. 

When they say, “life flashes before your eyes,” it’s true. Life really slows to a frame-by-frame basis when in a crisis. Thirty years later I can still see the front right bumper crush the frame of my bike. 6″ separated my ankle from the bumper and the bike frame. 

There are times at forty-seven years old when I vividly dream about the front bumper of that car crushing the frame of my bike. A moment undeniably so close to changing the trajectory of my own life…

Patterns Lull us to Sleep

Here’s the truth: patterns lull you to sleep. Ultimately, patterns blind you to risk factors. You start going through the motions.

Break it down – it was a familiar day with the same pattern for me and the guy who hit me:

• I was riding my bike – like I had every day
• I was on the same path to school I took every day
• I was in front of my grandmother’s old house where I played as a young kid

The situation met my pattern: 

🚴‍♀️ Me flying down the Wood Lane hill. 

🛑 Car stopped at the stop sign. 

🧠 My mind eased. 

🟢 “Ok to proceed.” 

I continued racing the hill…

BANG!

The Other View

As Mr. Spicer’s (the hitman) would tell the story from his point of view:

🏡 He lived 6 doors up the street 

🛑 He’s stopped at that stop sign a million times

👀 He quickly looked and didn’t see me (he was late for a meeting)

🟢 “Ok to proceed.”

He pulled across the intersection…

BANG!

Perspective & Pattern Interrupt

Perspective is my favorite word in the English language. But, perspective changes depending on your seat. The person in the front row has a different perspective on the show than your nosebleed tickets. This is why sometimes you have to change your perspective in order to interrupt patterns in your business.

Consider my accident. Same familiar pattern. Same situation. Different perspectives. 

• I was in his blind spot. 
• He was in my clearly visible spot (at the last second).

If either of us had interrupted our pattern, say tapped my brakes or he didn’t roll through a familiar intersection, I wouldn’t be telling this story.

If you’re stuck on an aspect of your business, consider moving your chair. Talk to customers. Get to the front-lines and ask questions. Call a friend and invite them to take a look. Put your ego aside. You don’t have to have all the answers. 

Challenge

Challenge: Find 1-3 aspects of your business where you may have developed pattern blindness. Intentionally interrupt the pattern. Change your seat. Let someone else lead a meeting. Interrupt the pattern Sometimes in business, you have to interrupt your patten and change your perspective to have a breakthrough.

You are worth it. Do the work.