Blindspots

You are on a busy interstate, traveling at 70+ miles per hour.  Ahead you see a slower car, so you decide to pass it.  You may glance in the mirror before beginning the shift into another lane to make the pass.  As you cross the dotted line, you hear the loud blaring of a horn.  Within a millisecond, you realize your vehicle is within inches of colliding with another car.  You jerk your car back into your original lane.  You blurt out a yelp or a word that expresses your anxiety.

Thoughts race through your mind… “Where did that car come from?”  “How did I miss that?”  You have just been the victim of a blindspot.  Almost every car has one.  The mirrors in your car are situated to give you 90% coverage of what is happening around your vehicle, but there are some spaces that you are not able to readily see in a glance.  Therefore, each car has blindspots, but this principle applies to more than driving.

In life, we all have blindspots.  No matter the kind of deep introspection we build into our lives, we still have them.  They exist in personality, relationships, work environments, and in many other arenas.  Just like in your car, they are hard to see in the mirror. Here is the essential truth of a blindspot: if someone else doesn’t bring it to our attention, we may never know it exists.

It is for this reason we find ourselves in negative situations we never saw coming.  We clash with other personalities in a moment and wonder how did we get to this place?  An argument flares seemingly out of nowhere and we think where did that come from?  Most of the time these instances are derived from blindspots that each of us has.

In order to avoid wrecking, we have to learn to respond to the blindspots as others bring them to our attention.  As you respond, remember…

1. Don’t Blame. When you cast blame for your blindspots on others you are inevitably communicating to others that you are not responsible for your own behaviors and actions.  The buck for your behavior stops with you.  Own it and learn from it.

2. Don’t Lash Out. If people cannot talk with you about your blindspots without of your temper flaring, they will stop pointing out these potential harmful areas.  Remember, if someone else doesn’t bring it to your attention, you may never know you have a blindspot.  Learn to receive the wisdom of others as they point out issues in your life.

3. Surround Yourself With Honest People That Love You.  Each of us needs someone in our corner who loves us.  These people must also be honest enough to speak the truth in love to us if we are going to change for the better.  Seek out honest, loving mentors and friends.

Don’t drive through life teetering on disaster.  Make sure that you have others who can point out your blindspots.