In my work with people, I often deal with individuals’ reactions to situations as well as communication issues between co-workers and family members. As a result, in the process of working through these issues, people often say to me, “Well, you know, perception is reality.” Sometimes they say this to explain how miscommunication occurred with another person, or why they feel the way they do.I am not sure of the origin of the phrase, “perception is reality”, (although I would bet it comes from some realm of psychology — and for those who know me, that is not necessarily a positive statement.) And I am unaware if it is being espoused frequently in the media, but I sure seem to being hearing it more and more.The problem is — it is not true. At least, not always.There is a verifiable reality that exists.

Perception is reality, so if I sit here and say, 'I'm not a fruitcake, I'm a lemon cake,' it doesn't matter. What you see me as in your world is what I am; it doesn't matter what I am - do you know what I mean? Discover and share Quotes About Reality And Perception. Explore our collection of motivational and famous quotes by authors you know and love.

And sometimes our perceptions (or beliefs about the world) do not match reality. In the physical realm, that is the basis for illusionists — they are able to make things appear different than they really are.

Also, there are those tricks of nature that our senses can play on us that can lead us to misinterpret what is really happening (having a sense of your body being warm while you are in the beginning stages of hypothermia).But in day to day life, I see the mismatch between perception and reality more practically. Here are some examples.Miscommunication. The classic example is the scenario like this: “You said.” “I did not. I said.” “Oh, but I thought you said.” “No. What I said (or at least, thought I did) was ” “But I thought you said ” If we stick with the perception is reality proposition, this leads to major problems in communication.

This is true for both parties. For the initial speaker, “what I thought” does not necessarily equal “what I said”. And “what I said” is not necessarily the same thing as “what I meant”.

Similarly, for the listener, “what I heard you say” may not be the equivalent to “what you said”. So perception may be perception, but it may not be what actually occurred.The mismatch between feeling reactions and reality. I often see the disconnect between reality and perception in the area of worrying. Being worried or anxious is essentially a smaller version of being afraid (there is a qualitative difference between being terrified or afraid for one’s safety and being worried or concerned). However, the realm of worry and anxiety have to do with potential events that may happen. They always have to do with the future. The challenge is — not everything people worry about is reality-based.

Those who struggle significantly with anxiety can worry daily about their loved ones being killed in a car accident on the way to school or work. Or they can worry about the stock market crashing, losing all of their savings, and winding up being homeless.NOTE: One way we can manage our fears and worries is to do a “reality check” — what is the actual likelihood of x event happening today? Has x happened before? How many times?

Even if x happens, does that necessarily mean y will happen? And even in the unlikely event that x happens and y also happens, what are all of the circumstances that need to be in place for z then to occur? The chances are incredibly slim. So, how much time and energy do you want to spend worrying about a series of incidents that will probably not happen?Misinterpretation of a situation.

Some people make quick judgments. Sometimes this is to their benefit. But, in other cases, it can lead to misjudging what is going on in a situation. In working with kids and teens, I have often seen a scenario where a fairly impulsive student, who also views themselves as the ‘protector’ of others will come into a room and see a couple of guys “scuffling”. They have each other in headlocks and are throwing one another around the room.

The self-appointed “hero” sees the guys “fighting” and promptly dives in, tackles one of the fighters, taking him to the ground, and yells, “Break it up!” (Frequently someone gets hurt in the process.) It is then that the hero finds out that the two boys were just “horsing around” and it was a good-natured tussle between two friends. The two “fighters” wind up being angry at the hero for interfering with their fun and over-reacting to the situation. Unfortunately, this happens in the adult world as well — where someone misinteprets a situation and reacts inappropriately because of their misperception. Truly, in these situations, perception is not reality.Inaccurate beliefs about the way the world is. For instance, in doing career coaching with individuals, many people believe that finding a job that meets their needs and desires should be fairly easy and should happen within a matter of weeks. So they “dive in” looking and applying for jobs.

After several weeks with no job, they begin to become discouraged (our feeling reactions are inter-related with our expectations) and begin to question if they are pursuing the right career direction. Self-doubt also sets in, wondering if they are capable of finding the type of job they want and whether they are really marketable. The reality is that finding a job which is a good fit for you takes a lot of time and energy.

Usually three to six months, or longer. And this reality is demonstrated time and time again (one of the aspects of “reality” is that it can be verified empirically).Misattribution of motive. Probably the most damaging form of misperception is the case of attributing a certain motive to someone else’s action, and being quite far off the mark. This happens in marriages a lot, it seems.

And it can be the result of either an overt action (that is, something you did) or the absence of an action (something you didn’t do but the other person thought you should have). Let me state something clearly — most of us aren’t fully clear why we do what we do, let alone being able to understand the motives of another. It is always best to ask (and hopefully, believe) the other person, “Why did you?” It can be helpful to start with the phrase, “I’m confused. Can you help me understand why you?” (It seems to take the accusatory edge off of the interaction.) There are tons of examples, more than I want to go into (and for fear of incriminating myself). Let me just suggest: we often get “bent out of shape” with others because we attribute a reason for their action or inaction that is not accurate.There are other examples of perception not equaling reality, but I think that is enough for now. Maybe use these ideas to frame your own thoughts when you hear: “Well, you know, perception is reality.” Maybe.

Check out these quotes by some of history’s most prominent figures. Which ones are your favorites?

1- Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.
– Philip K. Dick

2- Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
– Albert Einstein

3- Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.
– John Lennon

4- Everything you can imagine is real.
– Pablo Picasso

5- Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it.
– Jane Wagner

6- You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.
– Dr Seuss

7- There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.
– Douglas H. Everett

8- Reality is that part of the imagination we all agree on.
– unknown

9- Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.
– Soren Kierkegaard

10- Intuition comes very close to clairvoyance; it appears to be the extrasensory perception of reality.
– Alexis Carrel

11- When you argue with reality, you lose – but only 100% of the time.
– Byron Katie

12- Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it.
– Gustave Flaubert

13- Reality is a question of perspective; the further you get from the past, the more concrete and plausible it seems — but as you approach the present, it inevitably seems incredible.
– Salman Rushdie

14- The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.
– Tom Clancy

15- You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.
– Walt Disney

Peak games lost jewels. A thrilling match-3 game that will keep you hooked for a long time for Free! Solving puzzles has never been so much fun. Join your friends and millions of other players in the journey of 💎 Lost. New Game Added: Lost Jewels Play an exciting game on Facebook. Match jewels, unleash magic crystals and compete with your friends. Travel through the ages as you make combos and set the highest score among your friends. Overcome obstacles in this epic adventure and find the lost jewels.

16- A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.
– John Lennon

17- Don’t let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality.
– Les Brown

18- Reality is wrong. Dreams are for real.
– Tupac Shakur

19- The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.
– Jean Jacques Rousseau

20- Reality is nothing but a collective hunch.
– Lily Tomlin

21- Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality.
– Nikos Kazantzakis

22- Either you deal with what is the reality, or you can be sure that the reality is going to deal with you.
– Alex Haley