Tony Hsieh (“Shay”) is the CEO of Zappo’s and is unconventional in many ways. After selling Zappo’s to Amazon, Hsieh’s net worth is near $1 Billion. I have heard a number of things about him over the years – you probably have too.

What recently caught my attention is that Hsieh lives in an Airstream in the center of Las Vegas. Yes – in an RV park. Like a “tiny house” of 240 sq-ft that he shares with his pet llama. One twist is that he owns the RV park as a part of his effort to revitalize downtown LV. [ABC did a short report.]

Seeing this story is an example of how we filter what we see. I recently noticed the New York Times article about his Airstream. I believe my awareness is directly related to the interest Carol and I now have in Airstreams and related travel destinations. One-year ago this month we decided to buy an Airstream RV trailer. We have had a great time so far and are excited about exploring the national parks.

With my new interest in Airstreams, I see things that are related to Airstreams that I would not have seen before. (I have had similar experiences when purchasing a new car. Before the purchase, I saw few similar cars. After purchase, it seems similar cars are everywhere.) We literally see differently based on what we think about. Our filters create many blind spots.

What Are Your Blind Spots?

We literally do not see some things because of our filters. When we have diversity of viewpoints and backgrounds on our teams we open the door to see what we did not see before. Letting team members challenge and show new viewpoints, we are better at whatever we are doing.

Most of us would not look at a 40-something man living in an Airstream in an RV park in the middle of Las Vegas as likely to be a billionaire. In fact, there are many who assume that someone with a lot of money is out-of-touch. The truth is some are and some aren’t. Tony Hsieh gives us a chance to look at things a little differently.

Every time we open ourselves to seeing something we did not see before, we have the opportunity to becomes smarter and more informed. Personal growth is being slightly embarrassed by the person we were a few years ago.

I suspect that if I choose to park my Airstream in an RV park in Las Vegas, I will not become a billionaire. Seeing a billionaire make that choice, however, opens my mind. I hope it helps you too.