Assuming you will read this

Hello, fellow thinker!

What happens when you assume?

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I had a conversation with my neighbor about Puerto Rico. He said he’d never go back there, said there’s too much violence there, using this as a reason to avoid visiting his family, whom he hasn't seen in over 30 years.

I’ve been to Puerto Rico; it felt safe to me. And I didn’t stay at some resort hotel either, I lived with the locals: Chickens, ducks, cats, pelicans, lizards, and all. It was one of my best vacations.

I wanted to say - “It’s safe, you should totally go!” But that would make me a hypocrite because this discussion reminded me of how I felt about visiting Uzbekistan, my birthplace. I too have a lot of family there which I haven't seen in 31 years. I’ve always assumed that it would be too dangerous to go there and the process too difficult.

My wife has no such assumptions or reservations. She recently planned the entire trip for us and helped me overcome the fear. I changed the way I see this trip. As I count the days until takeoff, the anticipation grows, and I’m assuming that it will be a great trip and I’ll get to see my family and the land from which I came.

Our assumptions often dictate our actions, especially when it comes to fulfilling our desires. We typically form a stance based on what we aim to achieve, and these assumptions act as a blueprint through which we navigate our goals.

Conversely, reluctance can lead us to use assumptions as excuses for inaction. This mindset, however, can be restrictive, particularly when it prevents us from pursuing what we genuinely desire due to wrong assumptions.

Examples given:

• I assumed a McDonald’s we went to didn’t give free refills because the drink machine was behind the counter; My wife did not assume that, and went up there and got herself a free refill. I felt like an ass.

• I didn’t buy more of that NVIDIA stock when it was trading in the $500s because I assumed that stock couldn’t get higher; My friend didn’t assume that and bought 20K worth and its trading pretty high right now..

• I assume that if I have 1 cigarette I will not be able to stop at just one. But there are many people out there who can have 1 cigarette every couple of months and not chain smoke.

Such presumptions can justify our actions: if we are inclined towards a particular action, we optimistically assume it will result in positive outcomes. Just the same if we are against taking that action we can pessimistically assume that the result will be disastrous.

Building on this, my interest in the topic of assumptions comes from understanding that positive expectations can lead to a more favorable reality. By allowing ourselves to anticipate good outcomes, we open the door for them to occur.

More examples are given:

• Returning to work assuming that you will be able to tackle any challenges can reduce the stress of the Monday blues.

• Attending social events assuming that you will make connections can prepare you to be more active and get you ready to network.

• Tackling challenging projects and assuming you will be successful in completing them leads us to push boundaries and think outside the box.

Adopting these positive attitudes can foster a welcoming environment for good things to happen.

Links to Stuff this week:

Assumptions - short YouTube video.

Have an amazing week and keep thinking, my friend!

-Amir

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