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Pausing on Your First Guess

Me & others · Self-Awareness

When something happens, like a friend not waving back, your mind jumps to a quick guess about why. That guess can feel true right away, but it is only one idea, not a fact.

It happensFirst guessPauseOther idea?
Your mind moves fast through these steps. The pause is where you get to pick a better guess.
Try it together

Sam waves at his friend across the yard, but she doesn't wave back. His first guess is, 'She's mad at me.' Then Sam pauses and thinks of another reason: maybe she didn't see him, or she was thinking about something else.

Good to know

Before you decide why someone did something, ask yourself: what is another reason this could have happened? A first guess is a starting point, not the truth.

A first guess is not a fact. Pause and think of another reason before you react.

Practice · every answer feeds Zoe's sky
Question 1 of 8

What is a 'first guess' about why someone acted a certain way?