assuming WE ARE ENTITLED TO SPECIAL RIGHTS One of the most subtle blind spots is found in people who believe they are entitled to special treatment and privileges, including immunity from criticism. Entitled individuals believe whatever is convenient for them is also...
BEING UNABLE TO TRUST Our ability to trust when adequate proof is not available is an essential capacity. Many parts of our life and social interaction depend on our ability to accept ideas, people, situations, and opportunities even when we do not know all the...
BEING HABITUALLY CONTRARY Contrarians are a distinct group of people who frequently doubt the value or correctness of ideas and methods. They act as if their role on earth is to judge the worth of everything. They are especially devoted to detecting deception and...
GRIEVANCE-BASED MINDSET One of the most common blind spots in intelligent people is allowing the memories of failure and loss to overwhelm their strengths and abilities. This trait is often seen in goal-oriented people who expect to have their skills and efforts...
LIVING IN THE PAST Sorting out our past experiences is a task everyone must master. Some do this well, extracting valuable lessons and insights from what happened to them. Others speed through their memories as if trying to escape them and quickly leap into the...
PROJECTING OUR ASSUMPTIONS ON TO OTHERS Certain people have a strange belief that they can read the minds of others and accurately evaluate their degree of honesty and maturity. They assume they can understand a person’s character by a brief glance of them. Yet, these...
ASSUMING EVERYONE SHOULD THINK AND ACT LIKE US The blind spot of assuming everyone thinks and acts as we do or should is a common and often unrecognized problem. While it is pleasing to find we have much in common with others, it can be a mistake to assume we are the...
HOW INTELLIGENT PEOPLE DO STUPID STUFF & FAIL TO RECOGNIZE IT Have you ever wondered why certain people can be so unaware of their clumsy behavior in social situations? Or how about those people who are consistently unsuccessful in close relationships but have no...
The two bodyguards of old habits and negative beliefs that create the most damage are stubbornness and cynicism. They condition us to greet every great idea or technique with the assumption that it is flawed and will not work. Their initial response to a new concept...
The work of curing the habits and damage of psychic self-destruction often requires much intelligent effort and persistence. It is quite possible to exhaust our meager capacity to overcome powerful resentments, discouragement, or fears. The bodyguards that protect all...
