One thing I’ve tried to reduce over the years is operating based on assumptions.
I don’t think it’s something I can totally remove from my life.
Assumptions serve as shortcuts and help preserve energy, after all.
I do put in conscious effort to identify the assumptions under which I operate.
From time to time I try to test them.
Questioning them by taking the opposite point-of-view.
Experimenting with this contrarian view.
If it improves the quality of my life or my decisions, I adopt it.
If it degrades the quality of my life or my decisions, I revert back.
It’s not easy and it’s uncomfortable.
Anything that takes conscious effort often is.
The assumptions I most focus on are those I make about others.
“I think he thinks like this.”
“I think he intends to do this.”
“I think she will take care of this.”
Looking back, I often thought like this at my old jobs.
It didn’t turn out well most of the time.
Assuming someone will take care of something…
You’re fortunate if it turns out that way.
You’re mistaken if it doesn’t.
If it’s the latter, we or the people around us end up frustrated.
We might even have to work extra hours to make up for this mistake.
All because of an assumption.
An assumption that’s even more damaging – not to the company, but to oneself – are the assumptions about one’s intentions.
Based on first impressions or prior experiences with someone, we make assumptions about the intentions behind their words and actions.
We make it an upward or downward spiral, simply because of how we view the person.
It could be accurate.
Often it’s not.
The assumptions that led to struggles for the company or team were easy to solve.
They’re rather tangible and practical to solve.
The assumptions that lead to worse relationships or reduced happiness?
Those were a lot more difficult.
It wasn’t until I started studying the mind and how much of our experience comes from within that I became aware of these assumptions.
And only recently I became aware of the assumptions that shape my decision-making.
Assumptions I had been operating under for years.
It starts with awareness.
How do assumptions about others – about the future – shape my decisions?
How do assumptions affect others’ happiness?
How do assumptions affect my happiness?
It starts with awareness.
Try the opposite view for a while.
Worst case: you were wrong and learnt something.
Best case: you used to be wrong and learnt something.
Use assumptions to improve your life.
Don’t let assumptions dictate your life.