Scrolling through reels gets a lot of hate, but honestly, it can be surprisingly insightful. The other day, during my workout, I came across a clip from The Lex Fridman podcast with former CIA spy Andrew Bustamante, MBA as a guest. In this specific clip, Lex Fridman asked him, "What's the most important spy trick the world can use?" What he said next really got me thinking.

Bustamante shared something that really stuck with me: the difference between perception and perspective. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot, especially in how I approach conversations or tricky situations.

Perspective is limited—it’s your own point of view, shaped by your experiences, biases, and how your brain’s been wired since you were a kid. It’s the lens you naturally see the world through, but it’s also why we sometimes struggle to see past ourselves.

Perception, though, is different. It’s like stepping out of your own shoes and looking at life as if you were a third person. It lets you see situations with fresh eyes, without being held back by your own assumptions. It’s a way to understand where someone else is coming from—what they’re feeling, what they need—and even figure out the right thing to say or do to make a situation work in your favor.

Sure, it can sound a little manipulative (and let’s be honest, it probably can be), but I realized it doesn’t have to be. If anything, it’s taught me how valuable it is to look at things from another person’s point of view—not just to get what I want, but to really understand them. In business, for example, this can lead to solutions where everyone wins. It’s not about being sneaky; it’s about finding common ground and walking away with both sides feeling good about the outcome.

This shift in thinking has made me more aware of my own blind spots and reminded me how much growth comes from just trying to see things from someone else’s side. It’s not always easy, but it’s been one of the most practical lessons I’ve come across lately.