Perception is Reality: Exploring the Power of Fruit Loops and Man's Search For Meaning

We have all heard it. I am going to bet that we have all said it.

“Perception is reality.” In fact, it has been scientifically proven through an experiment.

But do we grasp how much it shapes everything we experience? I guess we don’t think much about it since humans are notorious for thinking that our view of the world is THE view! And in many ways, it is, thus, why examining our perceptions. we can further understand how it shapes our reality and ultimately determines our experiences, relationships, and well-being.

Let’s take one of the greatest cereals from our childhood…Fruit Loops! To some, the flavor of Fruit Loops is a sweet and delicious treat that brings back childhood memories. If I were a betting man, I would bet that close to 100% of you think the colors are a different flavor. As the late great philosopher Charlie Murphy once said….

“WRONG!”

I don’t know if you know this, but sight has a powerful effect on food taste. Indeed, our perception of a food's flavor can be drastically changed by how it looks. This phenomenon is known as “The Look-Taste Effect.” It has been studied in various experiments, and the results consistently show that aesthetics play an important role in our perceived taste in food. This means that our sight can drastically influence our taste buds and, consequently, our overall experience with food. In the Fruit Loops example, it is changed simply with color!

Now that I destroyed your childhood, I am here also to tell you that you can use this power of perception to your advantage. How? By choosing to be mindful of how we perceive situations in life. Indeed if we perceive a situation as positive and beneficial, we are more likely to enjoy and benefit from it. If we perceive a situation to be harmful, we are more likely to struggle and suffer with it.

One of the books I recommend on the power of this is Viktor E. Frankl’s Holocaust memoir, Man’s Search For Meaning. In this work, Frankl discusses his experience of surviving the concentration camps, and how his attitude of not giving up even in the toughest situations helped him survive and find peace.

One of his most famous quotes is, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” This quote speaks to the power of perception and how shifting our mental outlook can be a powerful tool for overcoming difficult and seemingly insurmountable situations.

Frankl also said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” This quote emphasizes the importance of staying strong and not giving up even when faced with extreme adversity. It also reinforces the idea that while we may not control the events in our lives, we can choose how we perceive them.

Please be clear, I am not saying this will be easy, but nothing worth doing is…at least until you change your perception of “easy”….