How to Change Your Perspective: Rising Above Your Circumstances

This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "The Daily Laws" by Robert Greene. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.

Like this article? Sign up for a free trial here.

Do you have a distorted view of reality? How would you think, behave, and make decisions if knew what was real?

To live a happier and more fulfilling life, you must anchor yourself in the real world in the long term by developing your rationality—the ability to think clearly, see things as they are, and make decisions based on reality rather than emotions. Robert Greene explains how your perspective can link up with reality.

Read more for Greene’s advice on how to change your perspective and see things as they truly are.

How to Change Your Perspective

In The Daily Laws, Robert Greene argues that we lead our lives guided by false beliefs: We believe that chasing money will make us happy, that others always have our best interests at heart, and that our flaws are smaller than other peoples’, among other things. However, because these beliefs aren’t based in reality, they leave us unhappy and unfulfilled.

To stop being led astray and made miserable by these false beliefs, Greene writes that you must become more attuned to reality—to the ways the world actually works and how people actually behave. You must learn how to change your perspective.

According to Greene, to develop your rationality, you should look at your life from a bird’s-eye view—rise beyond the immediate present and consider things from a distance. Often, we get stuck in whatever’s happening and feel overwhelmed with emotions, choices, and false impressions that lead us to react irrationally and make bad decisions. When you elevate your perspective, you can more realistically assess your situation and better predict the consequences of your actions. To do this, Greene suggests you do two things:

Take a step back. When we’re caught up in the moment, we tend to respond to things automatically and rigidly. Greene suggests you back away either physically or mentally—you could leave the room or pause before reacting.
Embrace adaptability and opportunity. To have an elevated perspective, you must acknowledge that nothing is stable or constant. When you’re aware of this, you’ll be able to plan ahead, be prepared for unexpected consequences, and make better decisions.

Elevate Your Perspective With Stoicism

In many ways, Greene’s suggestions to develop an elevated perspective go hand-in-hand with the ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism, which revolves around thinking and living rationally. In Meditations, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius defines what a healthy mind is according to Stoic philosophy: one that looks neither inward nor outward but merely observes the present moment. Let’s compare Greene’s advice with Stoic ideas on how to cultivate a healthy, rational mind:

Disinterest: Aurelius says that you should stop acting in your own self-interest and, instead, follow reason and intellect. Stoics emphasize that since every individual dies, the most reasonable way to live is for the good of others. To do this, always pause to observe your thoughts before expressing them. You can take this approach when stepping back from the moment, as Greene advises, and re-evaluate whether you’re approaching things rationally or through the lenses of your fears and desires.

Cooperation: The Stoics argue that you must embrace your fate and accept whatever comes your way. Aurelius’s arguments mirror Greene’s suggestions to remain flexible: A healthy mind is always calm and prepared. By being more accepting of whatever comes, you’ll find it easier to be calm when confronting challenges.

How to Change Your Perspective: Rising Above Your Circumstances