Jumping the Gun!

Jumping the Gun!

©Allen Merritt (2015)

Have you ever jumped the gun? Made decisions too quickly? Assumed something prematurely? Made judgment calls or ran off the mouth making comments about things you didn't have all the information about? I liken this to focusing on false positives. It reminds me of consuming something sweet to re-establish our energy only to crash a short while later. That sugar rush takes us down as quickly as it took us up.

In an age where so many are looking to improve their lives from day to day it seems to me that approaching decisions and giving responses in a conscientious manner is the best method for turning a situation around. How can one make healthy decisions if they don’t have all of the information and/or are not prepared?  This week I have been thinking about jumping into something too soon and the effects of doing so; whether that is how we respond to what others are doing or making a decision about something for ourselves. Jumping the gun is a broad subject; one that I have been just as guilty of over the years. Maybe you have too.

Ever remember running a race where everyone is on the starting line waiting for the go ahead to take off and one person anticipates it too quickly and jumps the line before the go ahead?  This indicates over-anticipation, but also demonstrates the difference between reacting and responding.  Needless-to-say, it slows everyone and everything down by starting a chain reaction of false positives.

Reacting to something too quickly may result in these false positives, because not everything is as it appears to be. What exactly is a false positive¹?  Scientifically it refers to seeing something that actually isn't there.  If everything is not always as it appears to be, than jumping the gun may produce unintended negative reactions and feelings which prove hurtful and often painful. Someone jumps and everyone jumps. It reminds me of the story about the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady wins the race. I believe most people understand this, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded of it from time to time.

We can always develop our abilities to work toward healthier communications, better decision making processes and improving our collaborations with others.

Here are a few ideas I would like to be mindful of:

• Stop and take a step back for a minute. Reconsider the situation.
• Take a break and breathe. Find a little distraction before revisiting the situation.
• Think first. Flying off the handle usually doesn’t help a situation.
•  Ask for clarification. Don’t make assumptions.
•  Look at all the facts.
• Consider options and alternatives.
• Wait a while and see how something continues to play out. Situations will often correct themselves and/or weed out the negative.
• Express interest in finding a way to turn a situation around. Jumping the gun or acting out prematurely usually promotes the feeling of an attack.
• Ask yourself what is best for you and what is best for the whole.

I believe it’s important to remember how we don’t necessarily see everything that is going on. Communication is key to discovering the true nature of any circumstance. In any case, it pays to not react, but respond appropriately, avoid over-anticipating to the point of jumping in too quickly and realizing that there are unseen variables impacting a situation.  Put these into perspective and we can move forward in any given situation positively and more successfully.

Now, everyone on your marks.

Ready?

Set…..wait for it.

Wait for it!

GO!

¹http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_positives_and_false_negatives (Viewed 1/18/2015)

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Cheers!