Former CIA agent shares one spy trick people could use to improve their lives instantly
Most of your arguments would end the day you stop operating from perception and start leaning into perspective, the celebrity veteran advised.
If you're looking for a sign to change your life immediately, then this is it! Andrew Bustamante (@Andrew-Bustamante), an ex-CIA agent and Air Force veteran, believes you can turn your life 180 degrees if only you understand the very thin line between "perception" and "perspective." He said most of your arguments would end the day you start observing the world from a third person's POV. Bustamante opened up on his simple yet effective trick in conversation with Lex Fridman, a podcaster.
Most people believe "perception" is reality, but Bustamante defined it as our unique interpretation of the world. There is no right or wrong in your perception; it's just how you see the world. "That's why so many people find themselves arguing all the time, trying to convince other people of their own perception," he explained. However, you get closer to success only when you transition from perception to perspective, that is, when you observe the world from a third person's point of view, the ex-CIA agent told Fridman. When you put yourself in someone else's shoes, you start to empathize with them; this makes you think like the other person, which allows you to succeed more than those trapped in their own perception.
"If you do that to your boss, it's going to change your career. If you do that to your spouse, it's going to change your marriage. If you do that to your kids, it's going to change your family legacy," Bustamante confessed. The former CIA agent also explained an often overlooked difference between perspective and empathy. He said that while empathy is simply feeling what another is experiencing, perspective is more than that. Bustamante explained that perspective is getting into someone else's mind and understanding their opinions, actions, thought process, etc.
How would perspective benefit personal relationships? To understand it, let's look at a survey of 1,162 teenagers from West Malaysia. The study found that nearly all respondents reported experiencing anger at least once. In fact, most lose their calm when they are angry; statistically, 7.1% of respondents, when angry, hit other people, while 25.1% take their frustration out on objects, and 27.8% become verbally aggressive or start to curse. It was also found that once calm, 50% of respondents regretted their action, while 44.7% wanted to ask for forgiveness. Now, imagine if we all took a minute to calm ourselves and understand the situation from a third person's POV. Instead of shouting or escalating the issue, perspective might help us resolve it within seconds, further strengthening our personal bonds.
Meanwhile, reacting to Bustamante's trick, @tuoyoedukugho1807 commented, "He just put it into words for me. Most people think of what makes me feel good, but in order to understand God — not that I am claiming to understand him completely — I asked the question, 'What does God want?' It made me understand how horrible our situation is and that we should be begging God for forgiveness continually." Similarly, @traviswadezinn wrote, "Take on board as many perspectives as is possible — it's a way to find useful truths and do skillful systems analysis — good points."
You can follow Andrew Bustamante (@andrew-bustamante) on YouTube for more spy-related content.
More on Scoop Upworthy
'Don’t follow your dreams': Hank Green’s unconventional advice for success
Mom got 'offended' by an older woman's advice but 15 years later — she wants to thank her for it
Share on Facebook
