Why You Can't Read the Label From Inside the Jar
Why You Can't Read the Label From Inside the Jar
Sometimes the hardest things to see are the ones we've been looking through all along.
Have you ever tried looking for your glasses...
...only to realize they're already on your head?
I've done it.
Maybe you have too.
It's funny when it happens.
But I wonder if we do the same thing with our thinking.
Not because we're forgetful.
Because we're human.
We All Have Blind Spots
One of the biggest misconceptions I hear about coaching is that it's for people who don't know what they're doing.
I couldn't disagree more.
The people I work with are thoughtful.
Capable.
Successful.
They've built businesses.
Led teams.
Raised families.
They're excellent problem-solvers.
So why would someone like that ever need a coach?
Because none of us can see everything.
Not even ourselves.
There's an old saying that captures it perfectly:
You can't read the label from inside the jar.
I love that image.
Because the problem isn't that there's no label.
The problem is your perspective.
From inside the jar, it simply isn't visible.
The Thinking We Can't See
Sometimes the label looks like this:
"I have to get this right."
Sometimes it's...
"If I say no, I'll disappoint people."
Or...
"I should already know how to do this."
Or...
"Everyone else has this figured out except me."
These aren't always facts.
They're often assumptions we've carried for so long they've become invisible.
The longer we've believed them...
The harder they are to notice. That's one reason I've been writing so much lately about the stories we carry. In fact, if you haven't read What Are You Carrying?, it's a great companion to this conversation because it explores the invisible weight we often don't realize we're carrying.
Borrowing Someone Else's Eyes
This is one of the reasons I'm so grateful for wise friends. Sometimes another person notices the weight before we do.
That's exactly why I wrote What If You're Asking the Wrong Question? last week. Often the breakthrough doesn't come from finding a better answer—it comes from realizing we've been asking the wrong question all along.
For mentors.
For coaches.
Not because they tell us what to do.
But because they can often see what we've stopped seeing.
Sometimes they ask one question.
Sometimes they simply help us notice a voice we've stopped questioning. If you've ever caught yourself worrying about what "they" might think, you'll probably enjoy Who Is "They," Anyway? because it's another conversation about learning to separate truth from assumption.
Sometimes they reflect one observation.
Sometimes they simply notice the tension in our voice.
And suddenly...
We see something that had been there all along.
Not because they gave us new information.
Because they gave us a new perspective.
That's Why We Weren't Meant to Do This Alone
I don't think growth was ever designed to be a solo journey.
Think about the people who've shaped your life.
A teacher.
A friend.
A spouse.
A mentor.
A pastor.
A coach.
Chances are, none of them transformed your life by having all the answers.
They simply helped you see something you couldn't see on your own.
Sometimes that's all it takes.
Before You Go...
Here's the question I'm carrying this week.
Where might I be trying to read the label from inside the jar?
Not because I need someone else to tell me who I am. But because I'm humble enough to believe I don't always see the whole picture.
And maybe that's not weakness. Maybe that's simply part of being human. Maybe that's why we need one another.
Continue the Conversation
If this article helped you see something from a different perspective, I'd love to continue the conversation through Mindset Monday.
Every Monday I share 3 thoughts, 2 quotes, and 1 reflection question to help you travel lighter and become all you were created to be.
And one more thought...
Reading an article can introduce a new perspective.
A coaching conversation gives you the space to discover your own.
If you've been circling the same decision, carrying the same tension, or wondering why something still feels heavier than it should, I'd love to help you explore it.
Sometimes one good question is all it takes.
