According to Andrew Bustamante, a former Central Intelligent Agency (CIA) intelligence operative, people must learn how to distrust their own perceptions in order to be transformed by the renewal of their minds.

The premise of his argument, which is found in part in the basis of his CIA training, is “What if your perceptions are wrong?” Expending your perceptions expand you.

Think about the perception of time. The phrase “Time is money” has been popularized and used by millions of Americans, based on a particular perspective meaning that

“Time can’t be lost because when it’s lost, time can’t be recovered and a deficit will eminently occur.”

Really? What if we “waste” time but that waste helps us to clear up our minds so we can perform our jobs at a higher level and make more money in the long run afterwards? I know, we call this “waste of time” a vacation! It works, doesn’t it?

Think about the idea that people just don’t wanna do certain things, like pursuing a college education, because it takes too long.

Some consider the investment of a four year education an eternity and might argue that a college degree should be completed as soon as possible because time is at the essence. This view is myopic at best.

What if this perception is off? A 4-5 year time investment in a degree might enable a serious student to refine their small group communication skills when living and working in a college dorm, an activity that is difficult to be achieved by a student who wishes to graduate in two years.

A four year education journey enables students to document their lives, as part of course work, which later on can be turned into a book. A traditional four year college experience is twice better than a two year timeframe to meet a potential life partner, in an environment that is controlled with other like minded people.

From what I hear, students would rather live by themselves outside campus perceiving that living off campus, in a rented house, equates with having more freedom, a perception that ignores the likely possibility that paying bills such as water, heat and electricity could de facto reduce their freedom.

Long story short…

Distrust your perceptions and test them. Don’t be emotional to a point of being irrational. You will pay a costly price. Be open minded to other possibility, instead.