shift your perspective

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shift your perspective" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when encouraging someone to change their viewpoint or way of thinking about a situation. Example: "To solve this problem effectively, you need to shift your perspective and consider alternative solutions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

40 human-written examples

Shift your perspective.

Harvard Business Review

"You just shift your perspective and think, Wait a minute: I'm a woman!" she told me.

The New Yorker

Does it shift your perspective to think of gun owners like any other kind of passionate collector or hobbyist?

The Guardian - Opinion

But you can also take steps toward recovery and prevention on your own: Prioritize your health, shift your perspective to determine which aspects of your situation are fixed and which can be changed, reduce exposure to the most stressful activities and relationships, and seek out helpful interpersonal connections.

Harvard Business Review

Be sensitive to any insights which might shift your perspective.

Forbes

Shift your perspective to an empathetic one and think about what you bring to the table.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

20 human-written examples

feel like you kind of had shifted your perspective on the individual?

University of California, Berkeley

It's the same if you see someone get shot, or if you've ever seen someone die in front of you… It shifts your perspective".

The Guardian - Music

The first way Pok Pok Ny shifts your perspective is by offering the food of northern Thailand, which has been largely missing from New York.

The New York Times - Food

The tape (they were almost always cassette tapes then) brought you back to Earth with the ambisexual feel-good funk of "John, I'm Only Dancing," and then became ponderous, and then singsong, with "Changes"; it shifted your perspective again and again with "Fame" and "Golden Years" and, on top of everything else, the driving, thrilling, dirty "Suffragette City".

The New Yorker

And so, I think that what they hit upon was exactly this; that when you're finding things funny that it does these wonderful things for you of shifting your perspective in a cognitive way for a moment, maybe enough to sort of make you strong for anything negative that might come later.

University of California, Berkeley

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "shift your perspective" to encourage a change in thinking when problem-solving or facing challenges. It's particularly effective when suggesting a move away from negative or unproductive viewpoints.

Common error

While versatile, avoid overuse in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for more nuanced expressions like "re-evaluate assumptions" or "adopt a critical lens" to maintain a sophisticated tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shift your perspective" functions primarily as an imperative, urging the listener or reader to adopt a different viewpoint. Ludwig provides numerous examples of its use in persuasive contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

HuffPost

21%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Academia

4%

Vice

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "shift your perspective" is a versatile phrase that encourages a change in viewpoint, commonly used in various contexts, as exemplified by Ludwig. It's grammatically correct, widely understood, and frequently used in news, media, and self-help content. While generally neutral in register, it's advisable to use more sophisticated alternatives in highly formal writing. Ludwig's analysis confirms its effectiveness as a call to action for adopting new ways of thinking.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Change your point of view

Uses more common vocabulary, focusing on the specific 'point' from which someone views something.

Alter your mindset

Focuses on changing the underlying mental attitude or beliefs influencing one's perspective.

Reframe your thinking

Emphasizes the act of constructing a new frame or way of understanding a situation.

Adjust your outlook

Highlights modifying one's general attitude or expectation about the future or a particular situation.

See things differently

A simpler, more direct way of saying to adopt a new perspective.

Adopt a different angle

Suggests viewing something from a new, often previously unconsidered, viewpoint.

Turn things around

Implies a more significant or radical change in perspective, often to a positive one.

Change your perception

Highlights altering the way something is interpreted or understood through the senses or mind.

Come from another angle

Suggests approaching a problem or situation from a different direction or viewpoint.

Switch your mindset

Emphasizes a sudden change or transition in one's mental attitude or way of thinking.

FAQs

How can I use "shift your perspective" in a sentence?

You can use "shift your perspective" to encourage someone to consider a different viewpoint. For example: "To find a solution, you need to "shift your perspective" and see the problem from another angle."

What are some alternatives to "shift your perspective"?

Alternatives include "change your point of view", "alter your mindset", or "reframe your thinking". The best choice depends on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "shift your perspective"?

It's appropriate when you want someone to reconsider their viewpoint, especially when they are stuck or facing a problem. It suggests a need for a fundamental change in how they are thinking about something.

What's the difference between "shift your perspective" and "change your mind"?

"Shift your perspective" implies a change in how you see something, while "change your mind" suggests a complete alteration of your opinion or belief. "Shift your perspective" often precedes changing your mind, as it involves altering your understanding first.