I absolutely love this picture because it exemplifies an important concept, which I call “Same situation, different story.”
Here we see a man trying to catch a ride home. Like any good hitchhiker, he’s written out a sign for passing cars. The picture shows two sign options (A) To Jacksonville and (B) To Mom’s For Christmas.
In both cases his situation is the same – he’s trying to get home to see his family. But the key difference is the narrative that he’s chosen to focus on. On the left, he’s letting cars know the destination, and on the right, he’s connecting the purpose.
Both are trying to achieve the same goal, which is to get a ride. Both are also legitimate facts. However each option will likely lead to a significantly different outcome. Perhaps he eventually gets picked up based on (A), but he’s more likely to be relatable with (B).
Same reality, but different story; therefore, different outcome.
Much of our life and human potential comes down to the narrative we decide to focus on.
> Are you an overweight person or isn’t it also true that you lost a few pounds this month?
> Did you miss that promotion because you’re not good enough or are you already in a respectable job (one that others would give up a promotion to have)?
> Did you fail or are you stronger because of a setback?
Are you choosing the right facts? Focus on the narrative that is conducive to success… the rest will follow.