Authors write books with multiple points of view. Journalists write pieces using different angles or areas of focus. Businesses get into the customer’s frame of mind to make more sales. These are all just examples of how we practice viewing life from a different perspective. This collection of perspective quotes can help you dive into exploring this for yourself.
What does the word perspective mean? It’s the way you interpret or judge the world around you. It’s the very thing that shapes how you see yourself and others. It affects your behaviors, actions and responses to events. It’s also something that can be molded and changed.
Changing your perspective can start by stepping away from a fixed mindset and exploring the viewpoints of others. Things like traveling or getting out of your comfort zone are great examples of how to do just that. This will inevitably help you to develop more empathy and understanding for those around you. On an individual level, it also fosters personal growth, builds resilience and allows you to perceive your circumstances in a more positive light.
In the following perspective quotes, we will touch on the value of being open to new perspectives and the power of altering your point of view, even just slightly.
Powerful Words of Wisdom on Perspective
Every person you encounter has a different perspective on life. Depending on how we grew up, our surroundings and our own unique experiences, we all view the world through a different lens. Sometimes we get caught up in these personal ways of thinking, failing to open our minds to other possibilities. Sticking to this limited vantage point is like only seeing the tip of an iceberg and refusing to believe anything else lies beyond the surface.
The following quotes on point of view encourage you to broaden your horizons and even step into another pair of shoes. You may be surprised at how much you can learn and how much inspiration can come from simply thinking of things a bit differently.
- “So much of our human resourcefulness comes from having multiple ways to describe the same situations—so that each one of those different perspectives may help us to get around the deficiencies of the other ones.” —Marvin Lee Minsky, The Emotion Machine
- “A little perspective, like a little humor, goes a long way.” —Allen Klein
- “The greatest tragedy for any human being is going through their entire lives believing the only perspective that matters is their own.” —Doug Baldwin
- “Empathy begins with understanding life from another person’s perspective.” —Sterling K. Brown
- “The joy of tasting different cultures is it gives you a broad perspective and you don’t judge people from stereotypical characters you see in films.” —Henry Golding
- “It is a narrow mind which cannot look at a subject from various points of view.” —George Eliot, Middlemarch
- “It’s just so cool when you meet people who are different than you are. That can give you a different perspective, a view point on life, or inspire you. I mean, what would the world be like if we were all the same? I think it would be very boring.” —Ciara
- “I just want people to take a step back, take a deep breath and actually look at something with a different perspective. But most people will never do that.” —Brian McKnight
- “There is a conventional or popular point of view. There is a personal point of view. There is a large point of view which the majority share. There is a small point of view which just a few share. But there is no right point of view. You are always right. You are always wrong. It just depends from which pole you are looked at.” —Paul Arden, Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite
- “It’s a cliché, but the experience of walking in the other side’s shoes does seem to be the best way to understand their point of view.” —Leonard Mlodinow, Subliminal
Related: Happiness Is All About Perspective
‘Change Your Perspective’ Quotes to Help You Make the Best of Any Circumstance
If you’re stuck in a rut or dealing with challenges, it may be time to change your perspective. Realistically, there’s nothing either “good” or “bad” in life. These are labels that we give to things and, inevitably, most of us tend to focus on what we perceive as the bad. So, how about we flip the script?
Let’s start dialing in on the good and counting the blessings that surround us. We can even appreciate simple things like having a roof over our head or having family members to turn to. Concurrently, viewing problems as opportunities can help us to get through even the most trying times.
These quotes about seeing things differently hone in on the power of shifting our perspective. This change in mindset can have a ripple effect. It can subsequently alter our own actions, behaviors and even the outcome of various situations.
- “All it takes is just a little change of perspective and you begin to see a whole new world.” —Bob Ross, Happy Little Accidents
- “A flower is a weed seen through joyful eyes.” —Jonathon Lockwood Huie
- “The only true voyage of discovery, the only fountain of Eternal Youth, would be not to visit strange lands but to possess other eyes, to behold the universe through the eyes of another.” —Marcel Proust, In Search of Lost Time
- “The way we see the problem is the problem.” —Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- “Sometimes all it takes is a tiny shift of perspective to see something familiar in a totally new light.” —Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol
- “The difference between a mountain and a molehill is your perspective.” —Allen Neuharth, Confessions of an S.O.B.
- “As we pass through the trials of life, let us keep an eternal perspective, let us not complain, let us become even more prayerful, let us serve others, and let us forgive one another.” —James B. Martino
- “It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” —Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People
- “Standing on the fringes of life… offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.” —Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- “The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” —William James, The Principles of Psychology
Related: 36 ‘Know Your Worth’ Quotes to Boost Your Self-Esteem
Famous Perspective Quotes to Think About Life Differently
Our perceptions can transform our reality. So, it’s important to take a step back every now and then and always keep an open mind. Life perspective quotes remind us of this.
We can all actively seek out opportunities to learn about frames of mind and interpretations that differ from our own. In the process, it’s important to avoid confirmation bias, or the tendency to seek out information that aligns with our preexisting beliefs. At the end of the day, this makes us wiser. In fact, it makes us more in tune with those around us and helps us to view life with a fresh set of eyes.
- “We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.” —Anaїs Nin, Seduction of the Minotaur
- “Facts is precisely what there is not, only interpretations.” —Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power
- “What if you were willing to see your whole life differently—from the 35,000-foot view? What if you could see everything you’ve been through, everything you’ve stood up to, every time you’ve fallen and rebounded, every curve ball you were thrown and caught? Every time you were disappointed and didn’t stoop to despair. Every victory, every chance. And appreciate the fact that you’re still here, still standing, still striving for a better life.” —Oprah Winfrey
- “Where you stand determines what you see and what you do not see; it determines also the angle you see it from; a change in where you stand changes everything.” —Steve de Shazer, Putting Difference To Work
- “Perspective is necessary. Otherwise there are only two dimensions. “ —Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale
- “Life is about perspective and how you look at something…ultimately, you have to zoom out.” —Whitney Wolfe
- “Sometimes in life, we need a few bad days in order to keep the good ones in perspective.” —Colleen Hoover, Maybe Someday
- “It all depends on how we look at things, and not on how they are in themselves.” —Carl Jung, Modern Man in Search of A Soul
- “What I have is a malevolent curiosity. That’s what drives my need to write and what probably leads me to look at things a little askew. I do tend to take a different perspective from most people.” —David Bowie
- “Never underestimate the power of gaining a new perspective by simply changing your immediate environment. Going for a walk, reading a book, or talking to a friend can provide you with life-changing insights that you not otherwise attain while remaining stagnant.” —Hal Elrod
Positive Perspective Quotes for a New Viewpoint
Sometimes we need a little push to start seeing things from a new viewpoint. We might get stuck in our own bubble. We can forget that an entire world exists outside of what we know and see every day. These positive sayings and affirmations, originally written by SUCCESS® contributors, are the nudge we need to take the blinders off. Use them to remind yourself of all the good that can come from opening yourself up to new ideas.
- “You don’t need to scrap everything and completely start over. Just find a new angle.”
- “Unbelievable growth can come from the smallest shift in perspective.”
- “The fact that no one else thinks the same way you do is frustrating with a closed mindset and opportune with an open one.”
- “Peeking through someone else’s lens, you’re bound to find clarity and compassion.”
- “I welcome the viewpoints and opinions of others. Every new piece of information further broadens my horizons.”
- “Life is all about perspective. Don’t let yours hold you back.”
- “There’s no such thing as a dead end. You simply have to pave a new path.”
- “I will approach each day with an open mind and a positive outlook.”
- “Ask yourself, ‘Is it really a bad situation or am I making it one?’”
- “Instead of worrying where you’re going, be proud of yourself for how far you’ve come.”
Quotes to Help You See a New Perspective on Success
Many people tend to think of success as making a lot of money, living in an expensive home, or moving up the ladder at their company. But this viewpoint comes with some weighty expectations. If they are not met, it can also come with a tidal wave of disappointment.
The following perspective quotes help us write a new definition of success. They remind us that the word can mean something different to all of us. Plus, when we convince ourselves that we’re already thriving, we can actually boost ourselves up even more. These sayings also touch on the topic of viewing things on a broader spectrum—something that’s especially important in business when you need to consider the perspectives of customers, employees, shareholders and even competitors, to develop solutions and remain agile.
- “Your perspective will either become your prison or your passport. It will either confine you to the way things are, or launch you into the way things are meant to be.” —Steven Furtick
- “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” —Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
- “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” —Arthur Ashe
- “One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.” —Henry Miller, Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch
- “It’s failure that gives you the proper perspective on success.” —Ellen DeGeneres, Seriously…I’m Kidding
- “I suggest that each of us change our perspective on success from one based on societal objectivity with its comparison to others, to a view wherein we strive to obtain success as defined by our values, thereby leading us toward inner peace, happiness, and self-worth.” —Chris Shea
- “When you’ve already experienced great challenges in your career it gives minor setbacks a different perspective.” —Kimberly Bryant
- “It’s this perspective of us as humans to look at our world through the lens of normal is one of the forces that stops us developing real solutions.” —Justin Hall-Tipping
- “Actively seeking and learning from the honest feedback of people who know you (in various capacities) is one of the most effective and fastest ways to gain a new perspective and accelerate your personal development and success.” —Hal Elrod, The Miracle Morning
- “Sometimes you have to find new angles on life to keep you interested, like sharing successes and inspiring and helping others. You have to go out of your way to activate your dreams and keep them going in this third chapter of your life.” —John Travolta
Shift Your Perspective, Change Your Life
Gaining perspective is one of the best ways we can approach life with empathy, insight and optimism. Whether you call it a point of view, mindset, frame of reference or simply your outlook, the way you interpret the world shapes everything from your relationships and self-esteem to your sense of purpose and career success. The good news, though, is that it will continue to transform and blossom just as much as you’ll let it.
Let these quotes be a reminder that changing your frame of mind doesn’t mean that you are wrong or compromising who you are. It means that you are open and willing to grow into the best possible version of yourself. Remember, life is all about perspective.
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