Challenging assumptions is an intuitive way to deconstruct a statement and find where your assumptions are holding you back. Our assumptions, often based on experience, culture, or social norms, can lead us to form a limited view of the world. Challenging these assumptions takes humility, an open mind, and an openness to different perspectives.
It can lead to growth and a deeper understanding of the intricacies that define human relationships and the world. As humans, we are prone to making assumptions. However, these assumption quotes illustrate why we should never assume things.Read on to find out more! We have curated these quotes to inspire reflection and growth.
Quotes to challenge your assumptions
Breaking new ground and questioning long-held assumptions could be the difference between success and failure. It’s a great way to challenge our preconceived notions. It’s an opportunity to grow and think outside of your comfort zone.
- “Assumptions close doors. Intrigue opens them.” ― Sam Owen
- “If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, there would be little hope of advance.” ― Orville Wright
- “I suppose that the greatest blindness is to assume the absence of blindness.” – Craig D. Lounsbrough
- “Assumptions equal a loss of pride and the sting of defeat.” ― Donna Lynn Hope
- “The best results in life are often held back by false constructs and untested assumptions.” – Tim Ferriss
- “Assuming less does not make you naive, it makes you a better listener.” ― Terry A O’Neal
- “Sometimes our bad feelings are only assumptions and speculations doing dark dances in our heads.” ― Bonnie Lyn Smith
- “Every time we make assumptions about what other people feel, do or think, we imprison them and us in a separate reality.” ― Franco Santoro
- “Assumption is the mother of the screw-up.” — Angelo Donghia
- “With time, all assumptions magnify and amplify; wrong assumptions cascade and blow up.” – Roger Spitz
- “To assume is to presume.” ― Jude Morgan
- “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” – Abraham Maslow
- “Taking any assumptions into study is bad science.” ― Lewis N. Roe
- “The assumption that humans could be a reliable back-up for the system was a total fallacy.” ― Astro Teller
- “Assumptions are the termites of relationships.” — Henry Winkler
- “I never assume anything. I anticipate the possibilities and allow my imagination to create the future.” — Lionel Suggs
- “Most deadly errors arise from obsolete assumptions.” — Frank Herbert
- “The way to keep yourself from making assumptions is to ask questions.” — Miguel Angel Ruiz
- “Next to the assumption of power was the responsibility of relinquishing it.” — Benjamin Disraeli
- “All too often arrogance accompanies strength, and we must never assume that justice is on the side of the strong. The use of power must always be accompanied by moral choice.” — Theodore Bikel
Last but not least, challenging assumptions help us make better decisions. Instead of basing our decisions on gut feelings, we look at things from a different perspective. We collect data, analyze it, and make better, more informed decisions.
