“It is hard to let old beliefs go. They are familiar. We are comfortable with them and have spent years building systems and developing habits that depend on them. Like a man who has worn eyeglasses so long that he forgets he has them on, we forget that the world looks to us the way it does because we have become used to seeing it that way through a particular set of lenses. Today, however, we need new lenses. And we need to throw the old ones away.”

What this quote means

Kenich Ohmae uses the metaphor of eyeglasses to illustrate our attachment to old beliefs. They shape our perception of the world, but we forget they are just a filter, not reality. This comfort prevents us from evolving, especially in a rapidly changing world. This quote invites us to question our certainties and adopt new perspectives, even if it means letting go of the familiar. It is a call for mental flexibility and the courage to change.