Our attitude toward the information will affect the way we approach situations. The way we approach situations will determine our outcomes in life. Just like those optical illusion photos that we stare at for long periods of time in an attempt to decipher how one person can see one image, and another person, when looking at the same exact photo, can see something totally different, it's all about our perspective.

When dealing with imagery, the idea of changing your perspective to identify images can be interesting and fun. When dealing with a person's life, the concept of changing your perspective to identify your own self-worth can be crucial and life altering. It is our own personal views, experiences, thoughts and patterns that will determine our destination in life. Although there are many exterior factors and conditions that may exist that can help shape and form our paths in life, the ultimate equalizer in this process is our ability to internalize our experiences and gain a healthy perspective of them.

The quote many narrow minded thinkers often subscribe to is "Life dealt me a bad hand." Any great poker player can tell you at one time or another they walked away from a bad hand a richer man. Although you may have many people born in the same poverty stricken neighborhood and dealing with the same conditions and circumstances, there are always a select few who rise above those conditions to live extraordinary lives. The key to their success is that they had a different outlook on their life to begin with; they did not allow their circumstances to define who they would eventually become.

The process of turning a negative experience into positive results is the basis for achievement. We are rarely ever faced with ideal situations and circumstances in our personal lives, and when it comes to our chosen profession or field of interest we also will usually experience periodical downward spiraling moments. These moments do not define our journey nor should they even be detrimental to our path of successful living.

They should be, however, pivotal teaching points and sometimes even groundbreaking moments which present new opportunities. I was once told that the key to improving your salary at your current job, no matter the field, is to become a problem solver. There is value in being able to properly identify a problem and develop answers to rectify the situation. Just as this skill is valued in your professional life, it should also be valued in your personal life.

Most inventions made by man came from turning a negative experience (or a problem) into positive results. Alexander Graham Bell allegedly invented the phone to help his family members as they suffered from hearing problems. Bette Nesmith Graham wasn't an exceptional typist. She often found herself retyping entire pages because of her frequent mistakes. She would eventually create an invention she called 'Mistake Out' which is now more commonly known as White Out.

The motor vehicle was created due to the long, frustrating trips by horseback which often took days to travel short distances. Stories like these are endless. Creating a process in which your perception on life's experiences allows you to organize information, negative or positive, in a way in which it all becomes a driving force leading to productive outcomes, is essential to the success of man in all walks of life. This theory not only holds true for the creation of new and useful inventions, it also holds true for the creation of healthy relationships and inner peace.