Why Your Blind Spots Might Not Be So 'Blind'

How often do we get into situations that we didn’t see coming and wind up disappointed, angry or in conflict with someone who matters? The blind spot analogy is in reference to a place on the road when you are driving that you can’t see.  You can position the mirrors as well as you can, but there is a space that is usually so close to your car that it is not covered by either your rear view mirror or your side mirror. To remedy the whole issue of blind spots, car manufacturers have started putting little light indicators on that rearview mirror that tells you when something is really close. 

That technology works well in cars, but what "enablers" might be helping create the blind spots in your goals, relationships and emotions? And what can you do about them? Here are three possible things that could create blind spots in your life:

Motive: Some accidents happen because one car moves into a spot occupied by another car. Sometimes the driver is in a hurry, or sometimes (I've seen this), a driver just wants to be in front. What is your motivation for pursuing an action: are you determined to get a spot currently occupied by someone else? A wrong motive can push you into an activity to prove someone wrong. The words that others or even we use to judge or minimize ourselves can move us away from purpose and into "the wrong lane." It is ok to regularly examine why you are doing what you are doing.   Your motivation for doing something might prevent you from seeing what an obvious wrong choice for you is.

Going too fast for conditions.  Sometimes we miss something obvious because we are moving too fast.  Slowing down works in the car and your emotions. The driving urge to ‘hurry up and get somewhere’ is likely causing you to rush into what you don't see. Slow down. Be 'led, not driven.' What is your spirit saying about what you're doing? What is your real reason for hurry? What would happen if you slowed down enough to look at the situation from another angle?

The people in the car with you. When there are people in the car with you, the conversation can get so chatty that you get distracted from the drive. The same distracting conversations can also divert your focus from what matters most, to other issues.  Who are the people in your life who watch out for you, pray with and have license to tell you when you’re going in a wrong direction? There is a Proverb that says, “Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.” Proverbs 11:14 MSG

When we consider intuition, it's not just a 'gut feeling', though that's part of it. Intuition is your brain's unconscious processing of experiences, lessons and comparisons. When you are faced with a situation, your intuition compares what is in front of you with what you have experienced, what you have learned and what you know spiritually and naturally. The hunch is not just goose pimples; it is the intelligence with which God designed us to process wisdom.

So, when we consider 'blind spots', be sure to identify the distractions that cause them, and tap into the learned knowledge and God-given insight to see clearly.

You are loved.

Michele Aikens is a leadership coach and Executive Director of the Joseph FoundNation NFP.