A Question to Consider to Understand the Actions of Others

Today, criticism and polarization are the lenses that are applied to the news that we are given.

We watch people in videos on social media, in the news, we read stories, and we think to ourselves “What an idiotic decision! How could THEY do that?”

But to be wise is to understand that this action wasn’t taken in a vacuum. That our judgment is only based on the vantage point we’ve acquired in our lives but not beyond that.

The quality and growth of your life journey are proportional to the number of new and difficult questions you are able to consider.

Here is a new question I’m considering, as posed by Adam Robinson:

“Under what circumstances, would *I* act like that person is acting now?”

This doesn’t dismiss the action as wrong or right. But it does lead to understanding.

And by the way, certain "wrong's" and "rights" have continued to change, have you noticed that?

“Under what circumstances, would *I* be making similar decisions?"

Toolkit:
Further references, links, and questions for your self-study.

• At Work: This question can also be applied to work, in sales, for example – when someone decides not to purchase, or not to take the job. Try and flip your view 180 around the table to the other side. Better yet, metaphorically put yourself on the same side of the table when you speak with someone.

• Read: Status as a Service  – "Life is nothing if not a nested series of status contests." We often forget to consider a base level drive that we all have – seeking status, which is described incredibly well in this post by Eugene Wei.

‍xx David