What Works: The Wild Fantasy World of Assumptions

Yesterday, I checked into an AirBnb in downtown El Paso. My lovely friends in San Diego had put me up the night before. We watched a movie called Sicario, a flick about Mexican drug cartels. Needless to say, the movie is partially set in Juarez, the border town right next to El Paso. It was the perfect set up to a nice waterfall of assumption.

See, when I arrived at my AirBnb. It was dark. Pitch dark. I was in downtown El Paso and save for a few people walking down the street there was no one around.

My host had gone to run an errand. I come up on the house and it’s hard to see. And other than the sound of car alarms and the occasional police siren, it’s quiet. I venture up the steps, following my directions to find a key in mailbox B. The data I was receiving was strong. Border city, dark, red light shining in a creepy hallway. That’s it, folks, my adventures had landed me in trouble. I pressed on and tried the key. I had one of my work groups from school on the phone and had given them my address at this point to assure I wasn’t going it alone.

I stepped into this house. Even though the key had worked, my heart was racing. The stairs creaked like an exaggerated horror movie. I had found my room that matched the photo. In fact, I’m writing this article from that room right now.

What’s the point? The point is, I didn’t let my assumptions and inference run away with me. I didn’t cancel my room, turn tail and chance the road the rest of the way. I paid attention to the data, but I checked my assumptions.
When we do this, it’s called climbing the ladder of inference.

First, you collect data. Think of this as a video recorder collecting facts. Then you select data from what you observe and you add cultural and personal meaning to it. Scary horror movie entrance with glowing red light must mean danger because of where I was. AirBnb horror stories start spinning.

I start to see the news broadcast in my head. Then you make assumptions based on the meanings you added and draw conclusions from those assumptions. You then use those to adopt beliefs about the world and take action based on those beliefs. The reflexive loop happens when your beliefs affect what data you select next time.

So, how do we check ourselves? We pay attention to that internal dialogue. The action I took was to inform my work team, who I had on the phone, of what I was doing. I was, in a way, covering myself because I recognized there was some fear. I also tested my assumptions.

I looked at the reviews on AirBnb about how nice the hosts were and how comfy and unique the space was. This data kept that cartel fear at bay long enough to make a rational decision.

What happened? Well I got in, my hosts showed up and I had a fantastic experience. The house I am staying in is over 100 years old. At one time, it was a University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) fraternity house. The attic is a shrine to that old frat house. Street art laced the walls.

The shelves were lined with cleaned and displayed liquor and beer bottles. It was a party attic. I got to sign one of the rafters. I wrote, “Diane was here and survived the party.” I did. I survived the fantasy party in my head without losing it in my reaction. As a result, I had a pretty sweet experience.

Sometimes, we make assumptions and we let our heads run away with them. Instead of checking our selected data, we run straight up the ladder of inference and take action. Sometimes this works out. Other times, it creates some serious wreckage.

This week’s exercise: Think of a time you made an inference based on data you selected which was incorrect. Take out of piece of paper. In the right column, write down what happened. In the left column, write down what you were telling yourself as the situation was occurring. Pay attention to how you traveled up the ladder of inference. Was it helpful? Was it damaging? What could you have done differently? What will you next time? Comment below about your situation.

LEARN FROM DIANE AND EMBRACE CHANGE IN 2017
January 6, 2017: “Vision Boards and Statements Workshop” – Gaia Wellness and Yoga, Carson City, NV – $20/Adults, $10/Ages 10-18. Purchase your ticket here. https://www.facebook.com/events/1804802419807412/

What Works Coaching
Diane Dye Hansen is the Chief Inspiration Officer of What Works Coaching, a business coaching and marketing services firm based in Carson City. She has 20 years of experience working with top corporations, growing businesses, motivated entrepreneurs, and individuals hungry for a fresh start. Diane holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Marketing from Cal State San Bernardino. She is also a candidate for a Master’s degree in Communications Management from the University of Southern California. Her column appears every Monday, and sometimes Tuesday, in Carson Now.