Seeing through other eyes

Walking in another's shoes. Seeing through other eyes. All phrases that refer to empathy: our ability to understand where someone else is coming from. It's often a difficult switch because we weigh new information from the light of our own experience. When a customer asks me to consider trying a new set of vibration damping products, or wonders if I have tried the latest cable in my own system, it's often difficult to give those requests the attention they deserve. My typical process is to first sort the request through the lens of my own experience and then place it in a box: relevant, interesting, not worth my time. But, of course, not worth my time is so wrong on so many levels. How can any of us legitimately judge new information that someone else believes to be true without first stepping into their shoes? I'll bet if I saw what you see there would be no argument. Once I came to the realization that other viewpoints were every bit as valid as my own and that to understand them I had to change my perspective, it was as if a light brightened the darkness. If we truly want to expand our knowledge and better ourselves, it's imperative we open our hearts and minds to the joys and successes of others we disagree with. I am committing to opening myself up to one new viewpoint every day because I figure the Chinese proverb has merit: The Journey of 1000 miles begins with one step.