How to Get Out of the Tunnel Vision Trap

Time to sharpen your situational awareness skills.

“A narrow street is only as wide as the person that walks down it.” ― Anthony Hincks

A woman was walking through the forest when she came upon a man who was furiously sawing at a very thick tree. He was covered in sweat and looked exhausted — the man wasn’t making much progress though.

“You seem to be determined to cut through that tree, but it appears your saw blade is blunt,” the woman said. “Why don’t you take a moment to sharpen it?”

Barely looking up, the young man said, “I have to cut down this tree, and two after it, by the end of the day. I don’t have time to sharpen my saw.”

Being stuck is like cutting through a tree with a blunt saw — no matter how much you try, you won’t make any progress.

Stress and anxiety narrows our vision.

When obsessed about accomplishing a goal, we stop seeing what we are missing. Tunnel vision makes you blind to the opportunities around you. Rather than making progress, you get stuck.

Your passion and determination are not enough to get you unstuck; you need to shift your perspective. That’s how you discover new solutions.