A Letter from Chris Suarez
Redefine Your Perspective
April 19, 2020
Good Morning Team,
I woke up early this morning while it was still dark and took a walk down to the beach just a few steps from our home in Cannon Beach, Oregon. Of all the places in the world I have visited, it continues to be one of my favorite spots, and one of the reasons I found myself moving to Oregon from New York City what will be twenty years ago this November.
I walked over to a large piece of driftwood that has been there for as many years as I can remember. Although I came out before the sun came up to get in my morning run, I found myself sitting down and getting mesmerized for the next half hour…just watching the waves come in…and then go out…come in…and then go out…come in…and then go out.
I began to ask myself why.
Why do we get so mesmerized by watching the ocean? It’s because we feel infinitely small in comparison to the endless view of water, and the incredible sound of the waves hitting the shore.
Why do we get so mesmerized by staring out across huge valleys and mountains? It’s because we feel infinitely small in front of that gaping expanse and snow-capped mountain.
Why do we get so mesmerized by staring out at the twinkling night lights of the world's biggest cities? It’s because we feel infinitely small as we look up at the towering buildings or look down at the city below.
Humans love big views. We travel to see them. We buy houses and condos and land to be near them. We take hikes and climb hills and drive miles on end to experience them. And it’s because it's healthy to feel small in front of them. It’s necessary for our perspective to be recalibrated.
It’s no surprise that the Eight Wonders of the World blend both incredible natural views with human elements…again the dichotomy of putting the infinitely small human next to the incredible power of the natural world in which we live.
Machu Picchu in Peru
Chichen Itza in Mexico
Petra in Jordan
The Great Wall of China in China
Christ The Redeemer in Brazil
Colosseum in Italy
Taj Mahal in India
Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt
These iconic views cause amazement. They cause us to wonder just how they came about. They cause us to think about those that came before us to create such incredible beauty. They cause us to question their significance and the meaning they held and still hold. Even in photos, the view of each of them is impossible to describe.
But what is a view? It’s another word for “perspective”. So what is perspective?
per·spec·tive
/pərˈspektiv/
1. a way to draw or look at a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of its height, width, depth, and position in relation to another object when viewed from a particular point,
2. a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.
3. the way you see something.
Putting ourselves in places or situations that help us to do that is necessary. Seeing the world or seeing people from different perspectives or points of views is not as easy as we may think. It’s why there is so much dissension, it’s why people argue for countless hours on social media, its why groups of people or even companies seem divided, it’s why people needlessly hurt others by what they say, do, or write.
We need to redefine how we look at the world, redefine how we look at our businesses, redefine how we look at our relationships, redefine how we look at ourselves.
The ocean does that for me.
The ocean is consistent.
The ocean is powerful.
The ocean is infinite.
And next to it I am small. Next to it we are all small. That feeling of being small is healthy for us. As it forces humility. It begs us to adjust our perspective about what we can and can not control. It gives us some real perspective of just how important we are. It provides us a glimpse at both purpose and meaning by causing reflection on the past and meditation on the future.
It forces us to realize that the seemingly ocean-wide challenges we face are, well, just a shallow stream to cross. It forces us to realize that the seemingly mountain-high problems we have are, well, just a small hill to climb.
The ocean has always amazed me. Recent studies reveal the ocean to be about 352 quintillion gallons of water. What? Is that even a number? Well, smarter people than me say it is. Talk about perspective! Without water, we could not exist. It is the basis of all life itself. About 60% of our body is water. Our brain and heart are about 73% water. Our lungs are about 83% water. Our skin is about 64% water. Our muscles are about 79% water. Even our bones are about 31% water.
Water is both the greatest source of good and at times, one of the most destructive forces in the world. Again, perspective. Water can both give life and take life away.
Being small amidst something large is all about perspective. Being powerless alongside something so powerful is all about perspective. Realizing how little we control in the big picture also allows us to gain real focus and clarity on the few things that we do control. It allows us to zoom out, feel small, look at the big picture, focus on what matters, and define our perspective in the process.
Now more than ever, as many of us are stuck in 10 x 10 rooms for most of the day for the past month or so, it’s important to get in front of something bigger. Take a walk in the woods. Find a place to stare at that mountain or valley. Sit in front of the ocean or along the bank of a river.
This week, just get outside. Look at something bigger than yourself. Perhaps you’ll see that problem, just isn’t that important. That challenge, just isn’t that complicated. That argument, just isn’t really worth it. That ego, just isn’t very becoming.
Humans love views. Because that view has the power to help us define our perspective. We could all use some perspective right now.
Redefining perspective,
Chris Suarez
