Wednesday 30 April 2014

Don't Be a Monkey......ASSUME NOTHING.



Making assumptions is something many of us are guilty of. An assumption is “something taken for granted or accepted as true without proof.” In other words, it is a belief without proof. There is this joke that goes: “when you assume, you make an ASS out of U and ME.” How true! Never assume anything. As much as possible, always try to have proof for your ‘belief’ and reason(s) for your action.
Are you sure that the way you perceive or see things/people is the way they really are? Many have missed out of life's opportunity simply because of  their assumption! Are you willing to challenge the norm in order to succeed? Bad enough, your assumptions can influence your attitudes and behaviors in a big way and so ultimately influence your future. It is always necessary in any given circumstance to ask the question “why?” before doing or not doing anything. Why can’t you be wealthy? Why can’t you be great? Why can’t you be the person that brings about great change? If you truly analyse these questions and try to answer them you will find that most of your answers will be only assumptions or, at the very least, excuses.

I love a story told by one of the most highly acclaimed creativity experts in the world and the author of the best seller; Thinkertoys; Michael Michalko. He gave a remarkable example of behavior that is based on assumptions. He asks the reader to imagine a cage containing five monkeys. A banana is then hung on a string inside the cage and a set of stairs placed in the cage leading up to the banana. Whenever a monkey goes up the stairs and grabs the banana, ice-cold water is poured on all the monkeys in the cage. Very soon, as the monkeys begin to associate touching the banana with being sprayed with ice-cold water they will try to prevent one another from trying to get the banana.
The cold water is then turned off and one monkey removed from the cage and replaced with another that doesn’t know anything about the cold water. This new monkey will inevitably try to get the banana, but the other four monkeys will attack him to stop him from doing so.
If another of the old monkeys is removed and replaced with a newcomer, this newcomer will try to grab the banana. The previous newcomer will gladly take part in beating him up together with the other monkeys in order to prevent him from climbing the stairs to the banana(even without know their reason).
One after the other, all the original monkey can be replaced with new monkeys in this manner. The cage will now be totally filled with monkeys that know nothing about the ice-cold water, but they will all not try to get the banana and continue to attack any monkey that tries to do so. No monkey should ever again approach the stairs. Why Not? Because as far as they know, that’s the way it’s always been around here. Don’t be a monkey. Challenge all assumptions.


Often, our actions, behaviors and assumptions continue long after the reasons for them have passed. That is why picking up things and doing them because others have always done and continue to do them that way is never a good idea. Any person who desire to be a great success and a leader both to themselves and to others must not take anything for granted. He must not simply assume that the way he sees things is the way they really are or the way they should be. Never assume anything – free yourself.
Free yourself from the web of social pressures in which the rest of the world are caught. Question the assumptions that even the majority accept especially if they don’t have any rational reason for them. Avoid the monkey mentality. Never assume that an individual is the way someone has described them. Get close to them and find out who they really are. Don’t assume. Be kind. Tell the truth and never say anything you are not able to fully stand by. Stop your many assumptions. According to Aaron Levie ‘start with the assumption that the best way to do something is not the best way they are being done right now”. Have a Great day.