See the Best in Others

Seeing the best in people is incredibly difficult. Yet it is absolutely in your advantage to do so. If the gunman’s actions are hostile you are going to take the bullet no matter what. But if they are defensive then your hostility is going to escalate the situation to the point when he feels so threatened he’ll shoot in apparent self-defence.

Yet what if we are totally wrong and our harshest interpretation is correct?

So what? By forcing ourselves to assume a kinder interpretation of their intentions – we misheard, they didn’t realize what they were saying, they are very stressed, we have given them the wrong signals and made them defensive – we are neutralizing the impact their insult/slight will have on us. In fact, as ...

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