"آنچه می‌بینیم عمدتاً بستگی به چیزی دارد که به دنبال آن هستیم"

Ever notice how two people can look at the exact same thing and see something completely different? That’s the essence of this quote. It’s all about perception. We interpret the world around us based on our expectations, experiences, and what we focus on. Imagine you're searching for seashells on a beach. If you're specifically looking for the perfect, unbroken ones, that’s all you’ll see. But if you’re just looking for interesting shapes and colors, suddenly, a whole new set of possibilities appears.

This idea comes up a lot in psychology and philosophy. It’s been around forever because it's inherently human. People have always tended to see what they want or expect to see. Maybe we do it because it’s comforting, or maybe it’s just the way our brains are wired. But whatever the reason, it’s a powerful reminder that our mindset shapes our reality.

Let’s think about a real-life scenario. Picture a student who’s convinced they’re terrible at math. Every time they encounter a problem, they're looking for proof that they’re right. They notice their mistakes more than their successes, reinforcing their belief. But if that same student approaches math with curiosity and looks for patterns or interesting problems, they might start to see the subject in a new light. Suddenly, math isn’t this insurmountable obstacle—it’s a puzzle to be solved.

So how do we apply this in our own lives? Start by being more aware of what you’re focusing on. If you’re always looking for reasons why things won’t work out, that’s what you’ll find. But if you look for opportunities, you’ll start to see those instead. It sounds simple, but it takes practice. It’s like training a muscle. You have to keep doing it until it becomes second nature.

Here’s a story to bring this to life. Imagine you're at a networking event. You feel out of place, convinced that everyone else is more interesting and successful. You’re focused on your insecurities, so you see every glance and every conversation as proof that you don’t belong. But what if you shifted your focus? Instead of looking for reasons to feel inadequate, you start looking for common ground or interesting stories from the people around you. You might find that person who shares your hobby or someone who works in a field you’re curious about. By changing what you’re looking for, you change what you see—and how you feel about the experience.

In a nutshell, it's about shifting our focus. When we’re aware of our biases and actively choose to see things differently, we open up a whole new world of possibilities. So next time you catch yourself stuck in a negative pattern, ask yourself: What am I looking for? And what might I see if I looked for something else? It’s a small change that can make a huge difference.

Remember, our perspective shapes our reality. So why not look for the good, the potential, and the opportunities? You might be surprised at what you find.