Straight to Yes: Asking with Confidence and Getting What You Want

CHAPTER 6

The Way We See It

In business and life, our patterns of thinking can bring us success, failure or mediocrity. Our brains, in essence, are sophisticated machines that project our deep-rooted expectations onto the screen of life. The old phrase, “We see what we want to see,” is very true; as is the phrase, “We see what we don’t want to see.”

At a deep level, our ingrained and habitual patterns of thinking usually determine how we’ll make sense of any given event. Cue “is the glass half empty or half full” conversation.

These expectations and patterns of thinking can empower us and others or limit us when they become no longer fit for purpose. Becoming aware of this, questioning yourself about it and learning how to be mindful of this ...