I am absolutely positive I know what I’m talking about. After all, I have been around the block a few times, have collected a few facts, listened to a few opinions and I am now certain that I have the RIGHT answer that will completely justified the reaction I’m about to launch.
The above can happen in our brain in less than a few seconds and convince us that our assumptions are facts. That what we perceive is ultimate reality. That a small pool of limited data much of what is derived from past experience (not the current one) is somehow correct. Our “right” decision leads to actions and starts a small or large chain of events. But wait. What if we’re wrong? Oops!
Challenging our assumptions is like quality control. If we want to remain credible it’s worth adding the step to our internal process. Before launching the reaction it’s best to ask what we really know for sure. What information might exist that we don’t have and what questions can we ask to challenge our conclusions? It might take a bit more time on the front end but think about what it can save you in the long run.