I’m a self-proclaimed brain geek. I’m fascinated by the how the brain works, and how the brain works at work. In Draw Forth, I even dedicate a whole section to how our prior experience and knowledge shape our perceptions for what we see.
This is the world we see:
1. The brain “looks” and receives data through its sensory organs (such as our eyes) and feeds all that data straight to the sensory cortex of our brain.
2. From there, the temporal integrative cortex starts to “see” or identify these bits of data and parse them into information. Random circles and shapes become the information of a “face”, for example. More than that, we can identify that it is a specific person’s face (Joe).
3. From there, this information goes to our frontal integrative cortex, where we can “imagine” and connect it with past knowledge to make assumptions on what we are seeing now based on that prior knowledge. For example, past experience tells me that what I am seeing is Joe’s “angry” face.
4. From there, we can “show” or test our assumption by taking action on it. The information goes to our motor cortex, where we may ask Joe what’s wrong.
5. Our action results in new data (Joe’s facial expression changes, he may say “nothing is wrong”), which we receive into our sensory cortex and the process starts all over again. We convert the pieces of data into more specific information, associate that information with prior knowledge and experiences, determine that Joe’s subsequent response is his attempt to mask his anger, take appropriate action, etc.
It seems like a nice, neat little system.
But the reality goes far deeper.
And the key piece here is in our frontal integrative cortex, because [highlights color=”ffea00″]it is through our assumptions that our world is created.[/highlights]
Think about this for a moment.
Everything you see is colored by your experiences and assumptions.
Therefore, nothing you see is ever what it truly is: what you see is simply your assumption of what you think it is.
Some argue that perceptual processes are not direct, but depend on the perceiver’s expectations and previous knowledge as well as the information available in the stimulus itself.
Psychologist Richard Gregory said, perception involves making inferences about what we see and trying to make a best guess. Prior knowledge and past experience, he argued, are crucial in perception.
This world is your best guess.
Our past experiences and knowledge may influence our perceptions, but do they have to define us?
We generally use assumptions based off of visuals to help us navigate the world. We are constantly making a best guess as to what things, people or situations mean. Sometimes our best guess is a positive thing that helps us shine brighter in this world. But sometimes, our best guess is a negative thing that keeps us from showing up more fully for ourselves and others.
Sometimes our assumptions keep us from drawing forth our best selves.
But guess what?
If you don’t like the world you see, you can change it.
We can start to become conscious of how our visual cues cause us to create assumptions and perceptions about situations: how we see ourselves, how we see others, and how we see the world around us. And perhaps more importantly, we can shift those assumptions so that we may engage more fully with our world.
Here’s a six-step approach to shifting your assumptions:
1. Start an Assumption Log. Get a pocket-sized notebook. Skip ahead to the fourth page and divide the page into two columns. Before going to bed, ask yourself: what assumptions have you made today and have they kept you from being open to the world? Mentally step through your day and jot down any assumptions you made. Look for the little assumptions and the big ones. Perhaps someone didn’t say “hi” at work, and I assumed that they were mad at me. Perhaps I slashed my project rate during a prospective client meeting because I didn’t think they would say “yes” to my full rate. Whatever assumptions you can remember, write them down in the left column of your Assumption Log.
2. Meet your Assumption Maker. Once you start to get a feel for the types of assumptions you are making during your day, imagine that there is a little Assumption Maker who accompanies you throughout your day. What does he/she/it look like? How does he/she/it operate as you go through your day? What does it want to say to you? Draw a doodle picture of your Assumption Maker on the third page of your Assumption Log.
3. Call out your assumptions when they come up. As you and your Assumption Maker go through your day, name any assumptions that arise AS they come up. Perhaps you see someone else’s drawing and think that you could never draw like they do. Catch yourself right there and name that assumption! Write these down throughout your day in the left column of your Assumption Log.
4. Flip your assumptions. Take a look at the assumptions in your log, whether they were older ones or the one you just wrote down. Write the assumption you would rather have next to it in the column on the right of the page. If I catch myself thinking “I could never draw like this other person”, or “people will think that my drawings suck”, then I’d rewrite it to say: “I have a playful drawing style that is all me,” or “people love it when I draw with them!”
5. Make friends with your Assumption Maker. Now that you and your Assumption Maker have gotten to know each other a bit better, draw yourself and your Assumption Maker as friends on the second page of your Assumption Log.
6. Draw what it would feel like to be free from assumptions. How would you see yourself? Those around you? How would you need to show up in this assumption-free space to be present to what is truly around you? Draw a doodle picture to remind yourself of this way of being.
Wait. . . can we be truly “free” of our assumptions?
Truly and completely free? No. Technically, we can’t be: after all, our world reality exists between our ears. This brain-constrained existence is part of our human condition, part of how we experience our world.
What we can do, however, is become aware of our assumptions and how they color what we see in our world. And through the act of recognizing our assumptions, we may become free of their influence. We can see more clearly, draw forth more of our best selves, have better relationships, and put more of a positive “ding” in our universe.
[blockquote source=”Alan Alda”]Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.[/blockquote]
In other words: to change your world, change the way you see.
What do YOU see?
What do you notice you make assumptions about? What in your life needs you to ask more questions? What in your life needs you to engage more? Which assumptions are dictating your behavior, acceptance, belief in yourself. . . and what will YOU do to live a more assumption-free life?
Draw out the biggest assumption you see showing up for you, tweet it to me @jeannelking with #mybigassumption and let’s get the visual conversation started!
As always, I cannot wait to see what you draw forth!
