I made a first-hand discovery yesterday – assumptions cause blindness.
I was away for the weekend with my girlfriends and I was doing a post-workout Starbucks run.
Since I had 3 drinks to carry, I asked the barista if they had any trays.
She kindly pointed to a large stack that sat about 4 inches from my drinks on the counter.
A large stack…4 inches from my drinks.
I was so embarrassed that I attempted to explain how I could miss this HUGE pile right under my nose. She graciously attempted to help me feel better by saying, “well they kinda blend in with the other stuff.” (They totally did NOT blend in with the other stuff).
On my return walk, with the drinks sitting in the tray I had taken off the nearly-impossible-to-miss pile, I realized what had happened. I had assumed the coffee trays were stored behind the counter with the staff, so I didn’t even notice what was quite literally right in front of me.
What else are my assumptions blinding me to?
What about you?