One of the big differences between people who are successful in life and business and people who aren’t is how they look at things, which in turn shapes how they make decisions. If you aren?t satisfied with your progress up the corporate ladder, the value of your investment portfolio or your ability to find a partner you might have more success by altering how you look at things and therefore how you decide to act.

To show how we look at things, and the difference it makes, here are a couple of situations where you might look at things in a new way. Read the full story to see multiple ways of looking at the same things.

At a bedroom, linen, and kitchen store, packages of six low-energy fluorescent bulbs are hanging near the checkout for last-minute sale to shoppers. The concept of being green has proliferated in recent years so the shopper, Susan, reaches up and takes a couple of the packages. She is happy with herself for joining the green movement and thinks, ?Al Gore would be proud of me.? When unpacking the bulbs at home Susan has a ?light bulb moment? and realizes these energy saving bulbs are packaged in energy wasting plastic casing. That might be safe packaging, but what is wrong with the paper boxes of old? Is it that the plastic casing is see-through? Is it that these packages are easier to display? Susan wonders, ?Is more energy used to make this packaging than will be saved using the bulbs in it? Maybe this wasn?t such a good green purchase when taken as a whole.”

Brett needs to become more proficient with a piece of software, Photoshop. He purchased it a year ago for hundreds of dollars along with a Getting Started with Photoshop book. He hasn?t opened the book. He?s opened the software but doesn’t understand how to get started. Today Brett is considering taking a class to get cracking and act on his New Year resolution to use what he has. Brett?s investment in the class would be $175 and 8 hours. Getting started seems like a good idea. Brenda, his girlfriend and firecracker analytic, asks a few investigative questions: ?Brett, do you have 8 hours to spare? It seems you?re always doing work as it is.? She continues, ?Is it possible that you could hire a tutor or power user who could show you one-on-one only the things that you would like to learn about? If so, wouldn?t that take a lot less than 8 hours? And, might it cost less than $175?? Hmmm? Brett never thought of such special education but the cost/value analysis Brenda is offering changes his leaning against taking the class but still to get the start he wants by hiring a tutor (or proficient high school student).

Verizon recently installed FIOS in a small townhouse community. Looking out his window Smitty, a seasoned businessman, did the calculation. There have been 5 guys here for 5 days digging the trench, laying the conduit, and putting things back in the original condition. That?s worth at least $6,000 ($30 per hour, 8 hours per day, 5 days, 5 guys). Then there is all that equipment and materials they brought in worth another $2500, at least. And the tree they killed and are now replacing is another $400. Plus, the installers have to come back on yet another day to run the conduit and hook up to each townhouse. That?s probably another 13 man days worth ($3,120). That totals $12,020. Doesn?t seem like the payback period is too good. When Smitty gets out his calculator that 100 per month x 7 units x 12 months equals $12,600 per year income. That?s 1 year break-even if you don?t consider the back office costs. Plus, and probably more important to Verizon, they now own the channel to these 14 townhouses for new technology installations in the future.

The way we look at things affects the decisions that we make. Watch how you look at things and, if you want to be in a better position whether in your relationships, work, fitness, or money see if you can expand how you look at things. Watch how others look at things. Ask questions of people whose situation you admire and move toward understanding how they look at things.

Susan Sabo is the productivity whiz writing at Productivity Cafe - a friendly place for effective articles on working smarter, reducing stress, and living a vibrant life. Susan consults with professionals on improving their personal productivity and presents motivating productivity programs to groups. Offline Susan travels, bicycles, and celebrates life!

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