Generalities can serve us well.
They equip with principles we can use to navigate varied situations.
They give us room to interpret our fundamental rules in the manner we see fit, depending on the circumstances at hand.
They help to reduce the cognitive burden of dealing with new stimulu from scratch every time we encounter them…
Because the more effort we have to expend on figuring out what this means, the less we have to spend on anything else.
But as useful as high-level perspective is, it can’t always guide us through here-and-now reality.
And as useful as our ability to generalise is, it can leave us stuck in a rut if we’re not careful.
Why?
Because the less specific our challenges, the less empowered we are to do something about them.
A vague sense of anxiety or unease isn’t easily dealt with.
Specific fears around specific things are.
General negative feedback we give to a team member (e.g. “you need to improve your performance”) is demotivating and disincentivises action.
Specific, constructive feedback empowers people (e.g. “your turnaround time on these tasks is 30% higher than we’d like – here are three things I’d like you to do to improve…”) to make a change.
Big-picture, fuzzy goals might give us something to aim towards. But unless they’re concretely defined, how can we ever know we’ve hit them?
If we’re stuck in a rut, feeling overwhelmed and generally looking for guidance, an initial paradigm shift can be exactly what’s required to move forward.
Better thinking leads to better outcomes. Better thinking is a product of better, more useful perspective.
However, it’s dangerous to think that a simple shift in perception is guaranteed to drive change across all domains we care about.
Left to our own devices, we take shortcuts.
We tell stories that let us off the hook.
We rationalise our behaviour and experiences to justify our choices – and our continued commitment to old, comfortable ways of being.
In these scenarios, it can be helpful to get specific.
Ascend our thinking in general, yes. But in the areas where we want to see progress, what specifically are we doing – and changing – to make it happen?
Progress isn’t always the goal. Sometimes, stability is all we need.
But if aspire to improve without equipping ourselves with the tools to make it happen, we’re living in a state of impending disappointment at best… and delusion at worst.
Whether we’re seeking progress, clarity, or simply to see the path forward, specificity is key.