Is the glass half full or half empty?
This is a proverb highlighting the dichotomy in the opinion or attitude regarding a situation or a thing. Most situations are never pitch black or pristine white…they are somewhere in between…amongst the various shades of grey. How one views a situation depends on one’s worldview.
Glass Half Empty signifies
- Pessimism
- Dissatisfaction
- go getter spirit
- need to do more
- Can do better
- Unfulfilled potential
- Need to strive for more
Glass Half Full signifies
- Optimism
- Satisfaction
- Good enough
- Gratitude
- Contentment
- Pride
- Fulfilled potential
In a nutshell…
The Obvious Questions:
Which attitude is better?
Is it better to view the glass of your life, business, friendship, sports, achievements, success, career, and wealth, as half full or half empty?
Is the ‘one size fits all’ answer? Does it make sense to carry one attitude all the time, in all the domains?
Or, is it ‘horses for courses’? Is it better to carry one attitude in some situations or domains and the other in the remaining ones?
Answer: ‘Horses for Courses!’ Different attitudes serve well in different situations or domains. What you need is a shift in perspective, based on the domain in which you are working. This serves you well, because the right perspective is useful in enabling you to be the best version of yourself. As a corollary, if a wrong attitude is carried in a particular situation, it can be counterproductive. I”ll explain with real life examples. This takes us to…
The Big Questions:
When should you see the Glass Half Empty?
You should see the glass half empty while working towards a goal, or playing a sport. This attitude is useful when you are striving for more, or when the quantity & intensity of inputs matter. In such situations, it makes sense to be extremely dissatisfied with what you’ve achieved, to push yourself to strive for more, with a belief that your potential is unfulfilled and you can achieve a lot more!
When should you see the glass Half Full?
You should see the glass half full the moment you step out of your work or sports. While playing a match, you treat your counterpart as a rival and play with a fierce sense of competitiveness. You should see the glass half full in all personal matters – your personal relationships, your past achievements, your kids. You carry a sense of gratitude with whatever you have got or achieved in your life. You don’t crib, you thank.
Shift in Perspective
You have two different kinds of situations or domains and you need to shift your perspective depending on which of these you find yourself in. I learnt this from P. Gopichand, Indian Badminton Coach & former Indian Badminton Player. I have heard him talking about this more than once, and I fully endorse this approach.
You cannot have one attitude towards everything in life. To be the best version of yourself, you need to shift your perspective..change gears – pull out all the stops when you’re striving for something, but once the pursuit is over, you change your attitude and be grateful & content with what you’ve got & achieved. Here’s how..
When you’re playing a game, you’ve got to be frighteningly hungry to win. You should scare the opponent by your never say die attitude. You should strive to win every point, every match, every tournament. The moment the match is over, you, you shake hands and say, “Well Played mate!”
When you’re striving for success in your business or career, you look at your or your business’s unfulfilled potential, but when you look at your past achievements, you pat you back for all the small & big achievements
You look into the future with avidity and acquisitiveness; you look at your past with gratitude, contentment and pride.
‘The Glass is half empty’ attitude keeps you progressive towards a better you, thereby giving you a sense of purpose. ‘The glass is half full’ attitude keeps you happy and content, thereby giving you a sense of achievement & fulfilment. This shift in perspective helps you to be the best version of yourself under all situations.