Have you ever drilled down on your own perspective? Each of us has a view of the world that is as unique as a fingerprint. This talk discusses how gaining perspective on your own perspective can help you cultivate relationships with others and the person you are around everyday - you! Pondering your thoughts and influences can lead you to a new normal - that you are special and unique, just like everyone else!

1. Gaining Perspective on
Your Perspective
From the perspective of Olga M Bergstrom
May 17, 2014

2. Know Thyself
…An Ancient Greek Adage
Thales of Miletus (c. 624 BC – c. 546 BC) was a pre-
Socratic Greek philosopher. Many regard him as the first
philosopher in the Greek tradition.
“The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself.”
When asked about the easiest: ”To Give Advice.”

3. Perspective
○ What is a perspective?
○ Why is it important for us to assess our own?
○ How do we go about diving deeper?
Each person’s perspective is as unique
as a fingerprint…and evolves over time.

4. Quick Definitions
○ A particular attitude toward or way of
regarding something; a point of view.
○ True understanding of the relative
importance of things; a sense of proportion.
○ Physically: Vantage point. Vista.

5. The Importance of Self-Knowledge
○ It is good to know how and why we think the way
we do.
○ It is good to search for where we belong and what
we are meant to do.
○ It is good to understand how and why we relate to
others the way we do.

6. Why do we care?
“Never explain yourself. Your friends don’t need it and
your enemies won’t believe you anyway.” - Ziad K. Abdelnour
Not true. Your friends are the ones who really want to know.
○ Communicate
○ Empathize
○ Build community
○ Grow through compromises
○ Grow your overall knowledge
○ Be more gentle with yourself and others

7. Subjectivity
Normal
Smart
love
poor
RICH happy
Weird

8. Does anyone share the exact perspective?

9. Assessing Yourself
Common Denominators:
○ Personality Tests
○ Work style Assessments
○ Books, Movies, Shared Activities
Find a common
understanding to
better interpret
the similarities
and differences in
one another.
½ + ¼ = ?

10. Reviewing your own perspective:
Going Big to Small
What does it mean to you…
○ …to be part of the planet Earth?
○ …to be human?
○ …to live in North America?
○ …to live in the US?
○ …to live in California?
○ …to live in your current location?
○ …to be from the place where you grew up?
○ …to have lived in your household?
○ …to have siblings? How many? Where were you in the birth
order?

11. Reviewing your own perspective:
Personal Responses & Characteristics
○ What would you say are your most positive influences?
Why?
○ What has affected you negatively? Why?
○ What do you find fascinating?
○ What brings you joy?
○ What do you find repulsive?
○ What do you find easy?
○ What do you find difficult?
Is your view of the world affected by all of
these things?

12. Life as a Bell Curve

13. Conclusion
○ Question yourself.
○ Question what you take for granted.
○ Talk to others about their perspectives.
You are worth the research.
You are unique and special
…just like everyone else. ☺