JUTE MILLS AND PERSPECTIVES

 JUTE MILLS AND PERSPECTIVES

Last week, I was on a very comfortable holiday. The kind with beautiful scenery, exotic wildlife, delicious food, and just enough cultural exposure to feel worldly but not overwhelmed. In short, an absolute treat.

And then, right at the end, they took us to a jute factory.

Now, I’ll be honest. Factories are not my idea of a grand finale. But, like any good sport (and someone who had already eaten way too well on the trip), I went along.

Before we entered, our guide pulled aside a few of us and gave a quiet warning:

A QUIET HEADS UP

“You’re about to see some tough conditions. But keep in mind—this is a worker-owned cooperative. This factory provides employment to people who would otherwise have no work. And because it’s here, in their own town, they get to live with their families instead of migrating to harsher, privately owned jute mills elsewhere.”

Duly noted.

And then we walked in.

Imagine stepping into what feels like the Industrial Revolution—only it’s today. Dim lighting, thick air, rows of people hunched over, noise levels that could drown out my inner monologue. (Tragic, because I have some fantastic inner monologues.)

The whole group went silent. Some were visibly upset. Others angry. And honestly? I was, too. This was hard to witness.

But because some of us had that extra context—that wider perspective—our reaction wasn’t just outrage. It was more… balanced. Yes, the conditions were tough. But they were better than the alternative. The workers owned a stake in the factory. They weren’t forced to migrate. They had more agency than many others in similar industries.

What This Has to Do with You and Me

Here’s what struck me:

1. We mistake what we see for the whole truth.

When we experience something uncomfortable—say, a job loss, a failed project, or an industry upheaval—it’s easy to believe that’s the entire truth. That everything is bleak. That we are doomed. (My brain is excellent at catastrophizing. Gold-medal level.)

But if we can step back, widen the frame, and see the bigger picture, things shift. The reality might still be hard, but it won’t feel hopeless.

2. Our senses lie to us more often than we think.

What we see, hear, and feel in the moment shapes our reactions. But if those inputs are incomplete or misleading (which they often are), then our reaction is based on distorted reality.

A little perspective shift—sometimes just one extra piece of information—can change everything.

So here’s my simple invitation to you:

• If you’re facing a tough challenge right now, pause and take a wider perspective. Could there be something you’re missing?
• Next time your senses tell you one thing, question it. Is that really the full picture?

Oh, and here’s a short, one-minute video that illustrates this sensory trickery in action. Watch it and let me know—have your senses ever completely fooled you?

Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section: How do you keep perspective when life throws a nasty shock? Or, what resonated from this email/video?

Sanjay

P.S. If you ever catch yourself spiralling into the “this is the worst thing ever” mindset, try my fail-proof technique: a deep breath, a big sip of green tea, and the reminder that even the worst days most likely eventually turn into funny stories.