Big Picture Thinking and Zooming Out: Why We Need It and How to Develop It

The Sonya Looney Show

It's hard to make changes. Growth is hard. Stress is uncomfortable. However, there are ways to be more resilient when adversity rears its head or when your resolve is being tested. The first step is asking what do you notice when challenges or stress arise? You might first notice how you feel physically followed by the onslaught of thoughts and feelings that occur in response to adversity. What is an effective way to decrease stress, improve decision-making, and more effectively work toward our goals? It turns out it's all about changing our perspective: widening the aperture with big-picture thinking.

Big picture thinking, psychological distancing, and self-talk are some ways to deal with stress, pursue goals, and manage challenges.