It is easier to recognize other people’s mistakes than our own.
By Jurat Nortojiev · · 3 min read
My judgment will rely on what I see, when you made mistake.
When I made mistakes, they feel justified in my head, backed by unseen context and persuasive reasoning.
I try not to reduce others’ actions to stupidity or greed.
There’s usually more to the story, even if their actions are still wrong.
It’s easier to deal with someone’s silly belief when you understand why they think that way.
People aren’t always dumb. Sometimes they just see things differently or want different things.
If you want to understand or change someone’s actions, look at the story behind them.
What seems irrational usually makes sense if you see it from their perspective.
They’re not stupid. They might just value time, status, or desires differently than you do.
We all do things that don’t make sense sometimes.
You see only 2% of another person, and they see only 2% of you.
Attune yourselves to the hidden 98%.
Try to see where they’re coming from.
What have they experienced that you haven’t that would make they believe what they do?
And would you think about the world like they do if you experienced what they have?
Try to see their incentives
Which of your current views would change if your incentives were different?
Are immoral people attracted to industries where there are big rewards for bad behavior?
Or do big rewards for bad behavior cause good people to slide into immorality, justifying their decisions along the way?
Imagine there are a thousand parallel universes and when you find yourself at their shoes, in how many of them you would do immoral or stupid when incentives are right there.
I believe it is probably more than you think you would.
Incentives can be so powerful they cloud judgment and push good people to justify questionable actions.
While this doesn’t excuse bad behavior, it’s a reminder that extreme incentives can tempt anyone, making it easier to judge others without knowing how you’d act in their place.
There is actually a good insight here.
Choose your career based on your ethics; don't choose ethics based on your career.
Regardless of where you are right now, think about positioning yourself in the future where there is a room for error and incentives doesn't work against you.
In finance, there is the notion of emergency fund; it would be a good start for everyone.
One more thing about judging others’ mistakes: it’s tough to tell boldness from recklessness, greed from ambition, or being contrarian from being wrong.