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The power of a paradigm shift: How changing your view changes your habits
One simple perspective shift can transform your behavior, mindset, and daily life.
Selim Uysal
May 10, 2025
Hi friend,
Have you ever had one of those moments when everything you believed was suddenly flipped upside down?
Stephen R. Covey called these moments paradigm shifts: powerful changes in perspective that ripple through every part of your life.
They don’t just alter your thoughts, they change your habits, your choices, and your results.
A story that changed everything
In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey shares a moment on a quiet New York subway ride.
A man and his children entered the train. The children were loud and disruptive. The father sat silently, seemingly unaware. Covey, frustrated, finally said:
“Sir, your children are really disturbing a lot of people. Couldn’t you control them a little more?”
The man looked up and said:
“You’re right. We just came from the hospital. Their mother died about an hour ago. I guess they don’t know how to handle it. And truthfully, neither do I.”
Covey’s perception shifted instantly from irritation to deep compassion. Same situation. New lens. Total change.
That’s the power of a paradigm shift.
Why paradigm shifts matter for your habits
Your habits flow from your worldview. Shift the lens and your behavior naturally changes:
If you believe “I don’t have time,” you’ll always feel behind.
If you believe “I’m too tired after work,” your health habits will suffer.
But if you shift to “My energy is worth protecting,” everything from bedtime to food choices improves.
The same actions feel entirely different when rooted in a different perspective.
How to practice paradigm shifting
Paradigm shifts don’t always require life-altering events. You can initiate them through:
Curiosity: Ask yourself, “What else could be true here?”
Journaling: Write down your assumptions and question them.
Exposure: Read, listen, and talk to people outside your bubble.
Feedback: Let others challenge your blind spots.
And most importantly, pause before reacting. Often, the problem isn’t the situation, it’s how we’re seeing it.
“We see the world, not as it is, but as we are or as we are conditioned to see it.”
Your Turn
So what paradigm might be holding you back?
Where could a new lens change your habits, your relationships, or your results?
(Reply to this email or comment below, I’d be glad to hear!)
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Thanks for reading!
Selim
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