See wide, judge narrow.
Like a wide lens, see first, label later (if at all). Your angle isn’t the whole picture. Wait, reflect, and stay curious. Rushed judgment narrows your view; slow it down to let wisdom in.
- Overreach: Never judging, stuck in indecision.
- Shortfall: Knee-jerk reactions; blindly canceling.
- On point: Observe fully, judge cautiously.
Thinkers: Jiddu Krishnamurti, Lao Tzu, David Bohm, Carl Jung.
Doubt yourself, then others.
Your mind’s lens needs polishing. Scrub away bias, question your stance before you question others. Don’t let your views harden—challenge them to stay sharp.
- Overreach: Second-guessing everything, frozen by doubt.
- Shortfall: Defending without reflection.
- On point: Reassess regularly, stand firm only with reason.
Thinkers: Immanuel Kant, Socrates, Karl Popper, René Descartes.
Know you don’t know.
You’re a drop in the ocean—act like it. Admitting ignorance isn’t weakness, it’s the path to wisdom. Arrogance blinds; curiosity expands.
- Overreach: Refusing certainty, becoming passive.
- Shortfall: Acting like you know it all.
- On point: Be sure of some things, but aware of the endless unknowns.
Thinkers: Socrates, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Confucius, Nassim Taleb.
Humor heals.
Humor is your secret weapon. Use it to deflate tension, but don’t hide behind it. It’s the trick to keeping life light without losing the plot.
- Overreach: Dodging real issues with jokes.
- Shortfall: Taking life too seriously, suffocating under stress.
- On point: Lighten the mood, but don’t avoid the truth.
Thinkers: Mark Twain, Viktor Frankl, Groucho Marx, Jane Austen.