Developing a 'forest' view.

A big step towards success is developing 'forest thinking'. You've heard of "not seeing the forest for the trees". Meaning someone is so fixated on one tree they don't see what is happening in the forest around them which may be on fire for all they know because they aren't paying attention. 

Often people aren't even focused on a tree, or a branch, but a leaf. They are looking at one moment right now and they miss how that fits into a larger picture of what is going on around them. 

In the example of day trading, a trader may be looking at a 1' chart and seeing an uptrend thinking that it's time to buy long when the entire trend for the month is all red bars showing the larger trend is going lower. Eventually that 1' chart catches up and there is a loss if someone decides to go against the overall trend. 

In private life there is the person looking at one insulting thing said in a heated moment or one questionable choice that a person made and they start making big, life-defining decisions based off of that one leaf, that one incident. Not looking at the entire forest of experiences with that person to make long-term meaningful judgements about the relationship. 

Where it is absolutely true that the power is in now and that focus of action should be in the now moment to create the best results for the future. That must be balanced with taking that bird's eye view of the forest. Taking in the overarching view of what is happening and what the results have been thus far, take in the big picture to make important decisions about a situation or important relationship. 

Whether it's for work or personal life, data is useful. That is why it is important to journal about things that are meaningful to you. For example write everything you love about your spouse and the sweet things they do when you aren't in conflict with them. Because that day will inevitably come and in that moment something they did or said may seem catastrophic and horrible, or it may be easy in that moment to believe that nothing ever works in your favor.

On the other hand, there may be a desire to believe that things are great, but when looking at a very short list about how things actually went, it becomes clear that needs weren't being met, goals aren't being reached, results aren't actually that good over time.

So the data tells the real story over time. Without employing patience to let time tell the overarching storyline we don't really know the truth about anything or anyone. We need the data. We need the forest view to fill in to see the big picture. 

Practice zooming your perspective in and out. From the leaf of the now to the overarching storyline of the forest view. It brings a more objective and authentic vision of the environment. It is a better way to make successful and accurate decisions. Better decisions lead to overall success. 

https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/us-forest-service-colorado

https://www.moonshineink.com/opinion/cant-see-the-forest-for-the-trees/

Author

Sophia is a #momtrepreneur in Scottsdale, Arizona.