pi·lot

/ˈpīlət/  noun  a person who operates the flying controls of an aircraft

/ˈpīlət/  adjective  done as an experiment or test before introducing something more widely

/ˈpīlət/  verb  test (a plan, project, etc.) before introducing it more widely

A Perspective on Perspective – Part III

Initially, I thought the third part of the musings on perspective would be called cue/queue, but as I storyboarded the topics, it became clear that pilot was much more fitting.

Five years ago, the word “PIVOT” was written on a conference room whiteboard, where it stayed for the days that ticked into weeks that quickly became months. The world was a rapidly changing place in 2020. It feels a little like the lessons learned in 2020 became integral for the journey of the past 18 months.

I’m now at a distinct transition point, and it felt like an appropriate time to run an experiment. 

As we left for Miami, I wanted to approach my interactions with intentionality. We were going to board a lovely ship with hundreds of people we didn’t know.

The epitome of a blank page.

The experiment was simple. Make eye contact with and smile at everyone you cross paths with. Say please, thank you, and excuse me. Stay meticulously present during conversations. Approach every new person with curiosity and kindness.

For the better part of 10 days, we met new people and developed friendships that were built on the foundation of a shared travel experience.

What I walked away with was priceless.

As I’ve mentioned before, we weren’t the ‘typical’ demographic on this adventure - that’s what made the experience so much more meaningful. When you get to spend time talking with people who are retired or at the late stages of their career, you start to see a pattern and the advice is consistent. 

Life is short.

Jobs are just jobs. And when people leave their professions, most people leave it all behind. What you did for work is merely a sentence or two in a much grander conversation.

A conversation about family, friends, forgiveness, and change. The occasional dalliance into politics, geopolitics, finance, emerging industries, and real estate.

A conversation about the greatest adventures, and the power of life’s lessons, and what are the ‘musts’ on your reading list.

I want to circle back to curiosity and kindness. I lost that at some point over the past decade. I approached nearly every interaction with suspicion. My curiosity was focused on what the other person’s angle was, and based on the environment, sadly, it was an approach of necessity.

In retrospect, what an absolutely miserable way to live life.

Perhaps, that has become the most important lesson.

The next chapter will be grounded in energy synchronicity. 

Negative energy is toxic, and once it sucks you in getting out is really, really hard.

It takes alot of work to pull up the roots of all of the things that held you in a negative place, but once they are gone, and the new things are planted, that’s the moment everything begins to change.

You literally begin to see life differently…and not in the ‘which is better, one or two’ way at the eye doctor’s office. 

Everything looks different, sounds different, and feels different.

The things that used to make you angry don’t even phase you anymore, and the little things that you subconsciously ignored before now bring you childlike joy.

That is the real gift of perspective.

March 23, 2025