Of course you are!
I can vividly recall having discussions with my Dad and him telling me to stop jumping to conclusions.. I always thought I had done something wrong. I know better now! That’s what our brains do. It is not a fault in the system. It’s actually a part of the system that keeps us safe and alive….some may even call it a perk!
When we start getting some information and it seems familiar, our brains look for a pattern and then we fill in the gaps and immediately seem to know where the conversation is going or think that we have the answer. It is so fast that we don’t notice unless someone points it out. It’s a very good thing. We are able to predict what’s going to happen next and that’s really useful. That’s what being an expert in anything does, enables the bypassing of the doubt straight to action.. I want to know that the surgeon operating on me has the instincts to jump to a conclusion and intercept a potentially life threatening situation. However, even experts can learn new things.
Jumping to conclusions is not necessarily a “bad” thing; it allows our brain to resume its job of watching out for danger. Quite frankly, the majority of the time, this is a useful thing because if our brain's number one job is to keep us safe and we are able to figure out on the spot where something is going it is often very useful.
On the flipside? Depending on the situation, think in business or when you’re looking to innovate, it tends to make us rule out other options and the opportunity to learn and grow. And it can create a rut of sorts. That’s why looking for diversity of thought is a blessing and a curse. I saw it play out more than once in my 20+ years in the corporate world. Let’s hire someone who thinks differently than us so we can learn and grow. You do that and then what typically happened? The person would never seem to “fit” because their ideas rubbed against what was familiar and that made it uncomfortable and lets face it, no one wants to feel uncomfortable. So many missed opportunities to expand and grow.
What if the next time you find yourself “jumping to conclusions” you take a moment to pause and listen first? Maybe there will be a nugget in there for you to learn….