What’s most important? September 17, 2009
I travel regularly. At least one week in two I’m out of home. This means I get to meet many new and interesting people and marvel at the different things they notice.
Of late, I’ve been wearing my Vibram barefoot running shoes for the plane trip. They are very comfortable (criteria #1) and contain no metal (so I don’t have to take them off going through security). They also attract alot of attention.
As I’m waiting for my bag to exit the carousel, a business man in a crisp suit comes up to me, stares at my feet and says, “What are they?”
I raise my right foot and wiggle my toes. “They are called barefoot running shoes.”
“I’ve never seen anything like them.”
“They are great. Very comfortable and good for your feet and posture.”
The next thing he says confuses me for a while. “Are you a podiatrist?”
We talk for a little more before he wanders off to grab his bag. Yet his question stays with me. What was his reason for asking something like that? What did that say about him?
In the end I realise because of the way he asked that he would never wear such different shoes. To him, doing something so strange would be worse than foot pain. To extend on that: His appearance is more important than his health.
Now I could be wrong, he might have been asking to confirm my qualifications before asking advice. Regardless its a good example of how different personal criteria makes a big difference in behaviour.
Think about your own life. What’s most important to you about your work? Is it the money (rare)? Is it the human interactions? Is it the chance to change the world or create something new? Doesn’t matter what it is at all. What matters is if you’re achieving that, or if you’re being frustrated.
Think about what you think is the most important thing for the people you work with. Is it the same, different or even in direct opposition?
- Posted in : Learning, Mind, Persuasion, Psychology
- Author : Michael
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