There’s an ancient Native American concept of eagle eyes and mouse eyes - the broad view and close up view. Both perspectives serve their purpose and work in tandem to gain insight, create meaning and give us a 360 degree view. Using mouse eyes when we need to focus and execute and then shifting to our peripheral vision of an eagle to get an expanded view to be inspired to keep moving to the finish lines in all aspects of our life.
When we get stuck in the daily grind, it’s then time to switch from mouse eyes to eagle eyes to see progress, the big picture and the blessings already present in our daily life. When we are floating aimlessly, having a difficult time making decisions, choosing a direction, it’s time to switch from the broad expansive view, swoop down and get to work with rigor and discipline.
In his book Four Disciplines of Execution, Clay Christensen describes the key steps to transform ideas into action, in essence, moving from the eagle view to focused “mouse” style work:
1. Focus on the wildly important;
2. Act on lead measures – those are behaviors that will drive success rather than lag measures – the thing you are trying to improve;
3. Keep a compelling scoreboard;
4. Create a cadence of accountability – commit to specific actions.
In addition, practicing gratitude and mindfulness daily make us present in the depth of the moment while lifting us to see our life in its entirety. We need to both participate and spectate our life to live fully each day and follow our internal compass of that still small voice.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” – Melody Beattie
And while we are trying to figure out our own path and purpose, we have the opportunity and obligation to help others on our shared journey as well.
We can expand our vision to see the world with new eyes rather than old assumptions. We really have no idea what others are going through so assuming the best and offering the gift of listening are the least that we can do to better understand the complexity of the human condition and ourselves in the process.
When we have empathetic, kind, generous, and joyful eyes, we invite others in unconditionally. Challenge your assumptions, judgments and criticism of those seemingly different than you and be receptive up to all of the possibilities of an open, expanded mind.
And when we see others differently, we also see ourselves differently. We can then make decisions that move us from our old worn out stories that hold us back to new chapters and adventures that keep us inspired and in alignment and unfolding into our true and best self.
See today and the future with new eyes, both eagle in flight and mouse busily at work to make it happen.