Facts vs. Assumptions

Facts versus assumptions.

Take any situation that feels charged. Draw three columns: facts, assumptions, emotions.

Facts: only what’s observable. Things a camera would record. No interpretation.

Assumptions: what you’re interpreting about intent, motivation, or meaning.

Emotions: what you’re feeling.

Most people find their assumptions column is three times longer than their facts column. That’s the gap where bad decisions live.

A client was about to take political action against a peer based entirely on a narrative. Her facts were three items. Her assumptions filled a page. She was making career-defining decisions based on the page.

Five minutes. Three columns. Do it before any conversation where you feel emotional.

If your worst assumption were wrong, what would you do differently?