What are you doing to scrub away assumptions and let light in?
We risk being blinded to important realities staring us right in the face.
We all view the world through personal experiences, knowledge, and assumptions. While these inherent filters are inevitable, they can also distort our perspective like a cloudy pane of glass.
If we fail to clean off these assumptions periodically, we risk being blinded to important realities staring us right in the face.
Let me give you an example :
A manager at a busy office assumes that her team is productive and efficient based on their timely deliverables.
However, she fails to account for their extra unpaid hours after regular work hours. Her rose-tinted lens prevents her from seeing signs of burnout and diminishing morale. When top performers start resigning, she is baffled as to why.
You may have a better example than me, but this illustrates the core lesson from Isaac Asimov's words: "Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in."
Our assumptions can crucially shape how we interpret situations and the information around us. Unchallenged, they allow us to operate on incomplete or inaccurate views of reality.
The first step is to recognise that we all carry assumptions about how the world works, human behaviour, or the motivations of others.
Identifying and articulating these assumptions brings them out of the murky realm of subliminal biases. Once they surface, we can scrutinise them in the brilliant questioning light.
Where did this assumption arise from? Is it still valid based on the evidence before me? Could there be other plausible perspectives or explanations?
Here are some other three elements that can help us rinse away our faulty assumptions in this manner, widening our view and exposing us to new information and truths.
Stay open-minded.
If we cling too tightly to our assumptions and beliefs, we can become closed off to new ideas and realities. An open mind allows the "light" of knowledge and wisdom to enter.Avoid mental stagnation.
Our assumptions are like windows that can become dirty and obscured over time if we don't try to clean them. Clinging to stale assumptions prevents growth and learning.Seek clarity.
The metaphor suggests that clearing away faulty assumptions brings clarity, allowing you to see the world and situations more accurately and make better decisions.
I know we can't be perfect, but periodically scrubbing away our clouded assumptions brings us markedly closer to the brilliant light of understanding.
What are you doing to scrub away assumptions and let light in?
