Imagine you're in an airport. While you're waiting for your flight, you
notice a kiosk selling shortbread cookies.
You buy a box, put them in your traveling bag and then you patiently
search for an available seat so you can sit down and enjoy your cookies.
Finally you find a seat next to a gentleman. You reach down into your
traveling bag and pull out your box of shortbread cookies.
As you do so, you notice that the gentleman starts watching you intensely.
He stares as you open the box and his eyes follow your hand as you pick up
the cookie and bring it to your mouth. Just then he reaches over and
takes one of your cookies from the box and eats it!
You're more than a little surprised at this. Actually, you're at a loss
for words. Not only does he take one cookie, but he alternates with you.
For every one cookie you take, he takes one.
Now, what's your immediate impression of this guy? Crazy? Greedy? He's
got some nerve! Can you imagine the words you might use to describe this
man to your associates back at the office? Meanwhile, you both continue
eating the cookies until there's just one left.
To your surprise, the man reaches over and takes it. But then he does
something unexpected. He breaks it in half, and gives half to you.
After he's finished with his half he gets up, and without a word, he
leaves.
You think to yourself, "Did this really happen?" You're left sitting there
dumbfounded and still hungry. So you go back to the kiosk and buy another
box of cookies. You then return to your seat and begin opening your new
box of cookies when you glance down into your traveling bag.
Sitting there in your bag is your original box of cookies -- still
unopened.
Only then did you realize that when you reached down earlier, you had
reached into the other man's bag and grabbed his box of cookies by
mistake.
Now what do you think of the man? Generous? Tolerant? You've just
experienced a profound paradigm shift. You're seeing things from a new
point of view.
Is it time to change your point of view?
Now, think of this story as it relates to your life. Seeing things from a
new point of view can be very enlightening.
Think outside the box. Don't settle for the status quo. Be open to
suggestions. Things may not be what they seem.
If you want small changes, work on your behavior; If you want quantum-leap
change, work on your paradigms.
-Stephen R. Covey
