CHAPTER 15“And” Is the New “Or”
A high-altitude mountaineer climbs the summit of Mount Everest carrying something that will surprise you. Aside from filling his pack with essentials like bottled oxygen, ice axes, and high-calorie food, he carries a bottle full of little blue pills. That's right, Viagra. Mountaineers experience far fewer cases of frostbite or altitude sickness if they've taken Viagra before entering the “death zone” at the top of Everest.
The history of Viagra is a case study in unexpected discoveries and applications. Researchers were trying to solve the problem of poor oxygen transportation in the body that exacerbated cardiovascular diseases. In the process, they discovered Viagra. Today, Viagra is most famous for treating erectile dysfunction. It also treats patients with lung fibrosis, among other ailments. Without thinking big and exploring multiple uses, Viagra researchers would have produced a failed drug instead of one that is helping millions of people around the world.1
A complex world requires a complex mind. Simple “either/or” thinking doesn't cut it anymore. Conscious people excel at “both/and” thinking. They broaden their perspective and create more choices by holding opposing ideas in their heads at the same time.
Many of us think we live in an “either/or” world – colored in black and white, win or lose, us versus them. Framed in simple dichotomies, this “either/or” mind-set narrows our vision, limits possibilities, and reduces choices. It affects ...
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