Perspective is Everything: The shoe factory parable

The enterprising owner of a shoe factory sent two sales executives to examine the possibility of sales opportunities in a remote region.

After a few days, the first executive emails headquarters:

“No opportunities for expansion here: unfortunately, no one wears shoes.”

Not long after the second sales executive reports in:

“Tremendous business opportunity here: no-one has shoes!”

The learning insight

Same market! Same data!  Two completely opposing conclusions.

In business and in life, the situation and the barriers we see are rarely about objective reality.  They are about the lens through which we choose to view our world.

• The problem mindset sees a lack of adoption and assumes failure.
• The growth mindset sees an untapped market and anticipates a revolution.

The next time you face a challenging market, a stalled project, or an unfamiliar problem ask yourself: “Am I looking for reasons why it won’t work, or am I looking for the blank canvas: the opportunities that present?”

The market doesn’t dictate your opportunity. Your perspective does.