The Glass, the Perspective, and the Choice

 One afternoon, in the middle of a busy day, a colleague casually asked me the classic question:

—“So how do you see it, Luis? The glass half full... or half empty?”

I laughed. Not out of mockery, but because that simple phrase —one we’ve heard since childhood— keeps echoing through our lives. A question disguised as a game, but one that holds a far deeper truth than it appears.

The Moment of Choice

Imagine yourself standing before a glass of water. You look at it. The line marks exactly halfway.

If you're tired or frustrated, you might think:

“I already drank half. There's not much left.”

If you’re excited, you might say:

“I already have half a glass! There’s still plenty to enjoy.”

But there was a moment in my life —not too long ago— when I realized both answers were incomplete.

The Glass is Neither Half Full Nor Half Empty

The glass is refillable.

That simple shift in perspective changed everything.

It’s not about what you have or what’s missing.
It’s about realizing that you have the power —and the responsibility— to fill it.

With intention. With choices. With purpose.

Between Complaining and Creating

Sometimes we live as if life, work, others —or even luck— should fill our glass for us.
And when that doesn’t happen, we get frustrated, stop, or blame external circumstances.

But in leadership —as in life— the essential understanding is this:
No one is going to fill your glass for you.
It’s up to you to choose what you fill it with:

With learning, empathy, action, vision, and gratitude.

A Simple Story

I once sat in a meeting where a team was discussing disappointing results.
There were excuses, blame, complaints.
Until one team member quietly said:

“What if instead of focusing on the half-empty glass… we look at how we can fill it together?”

That small comment shifted the entire energy of the meeting.
Because sometimes, what we need isn’t a miracle solution — but a new perspective.

The Real Question

So now I ask you, with full honesty:

Are you waiting for your glass to fill on its own?
Or are you actively seeking ways to fill it yourself — every day — with the best you have to offer?

Final Thought

Because in the end, the glass is your life.
And what you choose to do with it… that’s your leadership.

Fill it with what truly matters.
Fill it with purpose.
Fill it with actions that inspire, transform, and leave a mark.


Luis Vicente