Written by Assata Omowale, a Career and Emotional Intelligence Coach and Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation. Assata supports mid-career professionals in building confidence, navigating career transitions, and leading with greater clarity, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence. With experience across the UK, Malaysia, Finland, Jamaica, and the United States, alongside her Trinidad and Tobago roots, she brings a thoughtful multicultural perspective to leadership and personal development.
A while ago, my daughter had a playdate. As parents do, we started swapping stories about our children’s triumphs and trials. One conversation in particular caught my attention: my husband’s mention of still waiting for our daughter to do a cartwheel at gymnastics.
Naturally, I leaped to her defense. What can I say? Mama bear instincts.
But it got me thinking about how we view challenges, and how where we sit or what we see can influence our actions. So today, I want to talk about perspective versus perception, and how the lens we choose can shape the way we experience progress.
Perception, as we experience it, is personal and subjective. It is the lens through which we interpret the world around us, shaped by our emotions, senses, and past experiences. It is like a flashlight, illuminating only what is directly in front of us.
Perspective, on the other hand, offers a wider view. It allows us to step back and take in the fuller picture: the facts, the nuances, the possibilities, and the context surrounding a situation. It helps us see beyond our immediate emotional reactions and opens us to greater awareness and understanding.
This became very real for me through my daughter’s gymnastics journey.
What a Gymnastics Journey Taught Me
My daughter, “Imara the Wonderful” as I often call her, has been attending gymnastics for about 18 months. She has been working on the cartwheel for just as long, with many attempts ending in wobbles and falls.
At times, I found myself laughing, concerned, and even questioning whether it was worth continuing. I wanted to see progress. I wanted to see success.
But then I paused and got curious.
I asked her why she kept going, and her answer was simple: “It’s fun, and I can make friends there.”
That response completely widened my lens.
Suddenly, I could see the bigger picture. This was not just about mastering a cartwheel. It was about confidence, resilience, learning, friendship, and discovering what her body was capable of through practice and persistence.
The process of growth was unfolding right in front of me.
The sense of accomplishment she felt when her legs finally lifted partially into the air was heartwarming. She was showing up every single week with a willingness to keep trying, even while being a beginner.
That realization shifted something in me.
Why Perspective Changes Everything
Without perspective, we can easily become trapped inside our own limited viewpoints of ourselves, other people, and the challenges we face. Our decisions can become reactive, narrow, and driven by assumptions rather than awareness.
But when we shift into perspective, we create space for possibility.
My perception of her gymnastics journey had been shaped by my own expectations around progress and timing. I believed growth should happen within a certain timeframe, and because of that, I was almost ready to give up on her behalf.
But when I zoomed out, I could finally see what was actually happening.
She was persistent. She was confident. She was progressing. Most importantly, she was enjoying herself.
Perspective allows us to recognize the small shifts and subtle evidence of growth that are often missed when we focus only on outcomes. It reminds us that growth is rarely linear and that challenge itself can become part of the transformation.
A Simple Emotional Intelligence Practice
If this is a superpower you want to strengthen, here is a simple emotional intelligence practice that may help:
- When faced with a challenge or conflict, pause and mentally zoom out. Imagine observing the situation from above. Notice yourself, the other person, and the wider environment. What are you feeling, believing, or reacting to?
- Consider how the other person may be experiencing you in that moment. Is it aligned with your intention?
- Then slowly zoom back in. Notice your breathing, your body, and your emotions. Allow yourself a moment of awareness before responding.
- From that place, choose your next action with intention rather than reaction.
This simple yet powerful practice can help us move beyond assumptions and emotional reactivity, allowing us to respond with greater clarity, understanding, and self-awareness.
