Don't assume two much

Hi there, I might have been going a bit too technical on the last text (ironically, that is just an assumption). But I think you might care for a few personal examples. Warning, long post coming up.

The first batch is where negative assumptions are made:

This can be anything. For example, when I first started my new job,  I thought I was hopelessly out of place. Everybody seemed to know everything, while I was just the rookie that annoyed everybody with his silly questions. Of course after a while (about 8 months to be precise) things were getting more smoothly. I could lay connections knew who to ask what and got the knowhow to make decisions for myself.  Of course I still have a lot to learn.  When talking to some coworkers  now, I realized that a lot of people had a similar way of dipping into the job. They too had doubts,  they too are still trying to get better.  While talking to others I also discovered that they were much more than meets the eye. But my mind was clouded with presumptions on how they behaved, and with the gossip that seeps to every sport of the corporate ladder.

Or take this blog as an example: I make the assumption that nobody reads this, and that my words really don’t have any impact. Still I keep on writing. Because who knows, It might work for someone, right?

Need more? Here’s a third  example: people.
When I was traveling alone, I wound up with a group of party people. You know: the ones you see on TV or find on places like Ibiza and Ko Phangan. As I mentally prepared myself for mind numbing days filled with “woohoo” screaming people, comatose drinkers, and conversations with holes in it the size of Uranus… those people found a way to surprise me. Before their nights of celebration, and also in the quiet hours before dawn, they settled down and shared some of their wisdom, doubts and deepest thoughts with me. And let me tell you this: the saying “never judge a book by its cover” contains much truth. (Even though there still was a fair share of “woohoo-ing” :-)

Now an example how positive assumption can be bad. This is quite general, but let’s just say albeit I’m quite positive minded.  Okay, that sounded a bit doubtful, but it is true. I generally have the idea that whatever happens, things will turn out to be okay. The only problem there is: if I think that too much, I slack down on fixing the problems since they are ‘just a phase’. This already has cost me dearly on some occasions.
But don’t take this last example too much into consideration. Even though it might turn out badly, much more opportunities will rise when you think: sure this will turn out okay. (It also reduces your worries.) And there always will be things that are indeed out of your control.

 Side note one:
Do not confuse this post with ‘gut feeling’ and ‘intuition’. Sometimes you actually get a bad feeling or a positive vibe out of someone/ something.  Always keep those thoughts in the back of your head and be the judge about it yourself. But take it from me: you can’t go on purely on gut-feeling, since you will miss out new experiences by remaining conservative.

  Side note two.

“We are meaning making machines” is a line that came from Chris Jones’ teaching ‘manifesting success’. It is was a brilliant way of telling the audience that we make too many assumptions, turning events into personal stories, going overtime on connecting dubious thoughts just so that they can fit into our way of perceiving the world. Interesting stuff, Maybe one day I’ll give you an extract of this speech, if he agrees.

Now  go on and make some new discoveries, allow yourself to be surprised.