“Why did she say that?/ Why did he behave like that? Maybe……..”
I’ve had many experiences with second guessing intentions. I’ve also had an equal number of bad experiences with others trying to second guess my intentions. The common thread I’ve found in most of my experiences is that the second guessed intention typically assumes the worst. The real intention is better, almost always.
So, avoid attempting to second guess intentions. Talk about them. Ask when you have a question and communicate until you are clear about them. Our actions are hardly ever perceived as we would intend them to be. So, communicating intentions matter.
I have been quick to jump to conclusions in the past. It rises from my tendency to be impatient. Experiences with implicit assumptions and bad second guessing have taught me the importance of patience before drawing a conclusion. I don’t think patience will ever be strength but I do think I can teach myself to stop attempting to second guess intentions as it is regularly counter productive.
Finally, it’s also a reminder for us to share our intentions where possible so we have others second guessing our intentions less than necessary. Let’s talk about why we do things more often – I think only good can come from it.
A Learning a Day 