Don't assume you know what others are thinking.

Assuming you know what other people are thinking or what they are going to do is one of the best ways I know of missing out on what life has to offer.

Even simple words and phrases can be misunderstood.

In an ideal world we would all be able to tune in to what others are thinking and  view the world through their eyes. This is often called empathy.

In pratice most of us are not good at empathising and we get it wrong. This leads to misunderstanding, anger and lost opportunities.

The answer is not to assume; ask people whether your understanding is correct and repeat what you have heard to make sure you get it right.

If you do this you will avoid misunderstanding and you will probably develop your empathy so that when you do check - you are right more often than not.