Photo: John Grant

Don’t Be An Ass: The Backside of making ASSumptions

I’ve been an Assumption making ASS. How about you?

And just when I think I can’t possibly make a bigger ASS of myself, my little mind starts spitting out unconfirmed assumptions all over the place.

As a creator, entrepreneur and facilitator to those who are building ventures and lives I am not one to downplay the importance of assumptions. I work with them every hour of my life…And because of this I’ve come to learn that you and I make an ASS out of ourselves ALOT because we suffer from PREMATURE ASSumption making. ( All knowing, prideful, cocky, closedminded, know it all, I’ve been there before, arrogance…get my drift?)

Every creative endeavor begins as a question and then assumptions begin forming.

In start-up assumptions become the design specs for the business model, operations, financials, marketing. In writing the character assumptions lead to words, actions. Assumptions are not the problem. Premature assumption making and closed mindedness are.

Premature assumption making makes you look, feel and act like an ASS. Closed minded, treating life as a platform to espouse instead of a toy box within which to inquire we make asses of ourselves.

So why not move away from the backside, behind the scenes, dark side of assumption making?

Curiosity, openness, listening, learning, flexibility leads to mature assumptions ripened with time, experience and the input of others.

So – my promise; – To NOT be an ASS…and assume I know.

Here’s to asking, listening and learning. And here’s to being less of an ASS!

Don’t be an ASS.

Pam Hoelzle