FUN COMMANDMENT SEVEN:
| Challenge Your Assumptions |
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This a crucial “commandment,” because most of the fear we experience in life relates to assumptions we make based on past experience or the counsel of others (usually some form of hearsay).
We are tireless assumers. Drop us into any situation and the first thing we’ll do, whether or not we know the facts, is begin to make assumptions. We are not deterred by ignorance of the facts.
Whenever we don’t know, we simply make more assum ptions, more quickly.
Most of our assumptions go unchecked. Soon we begin to treat them as fact and assign them the power of truth.
There’s only one problem with all of this. Most of our assumptions are wrong! Our batting average is so poor it’s a miracle our species has made it this far.
In order to survive life’s challenges successfully, we need the capacity to challenge our assumptions frequently enough to stop us from veering too far off course. Humor nature is our best resource for this. Challenging prevailing assum ptions is the chief mechanism of all humor.
Challenge the assumption that you are sufficiently diligent in riding herd on your assum ptions by practicing this exercise: |
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| Exercise #7: |
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Playing the “What if?” game is a good habit to develop.
What and if are the two words that usually begin any assault on your assumptions. “What if ..” is a wake up call to your humor nature. Even when you are certain of your facts, “What if ..” is still a good habit, because it will stimulate your creativity (eg. What if two plus two did not equal four?)
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Practice playing “What if ...” with common every day
objects. Look around the room right now and try it with anything
you see. What if this pen wasn’t a pen? What else could it be? A
microphone ... a miniature space craft ... a jumbo lipstick tube?
What if that wasn’t my hat? Would it be a frisbee made of cloth ... a
lunch box ... a potholder?
Please don’t try to be funny in this exercise. There’s no need
for it. Simply let your imagination run free.