Checklist: Lesson 1 - Recognising Assumptions

Identifying Assumptions in Your Thinking

Pause before drawing conclusions to consider what you’re taking for granted

Distinguish between observations (what you directly perceive) and interpretations (the meaning you assign)

Identify the unstated beliefs that connect your evidence to your conclusions

Consider how your background and experiences shape your default assumptions

Factual assumptions (unstated beliefs about what is true)

Value assumptions (unstated beliefs about what is important or worthwhile)

Prescriptive assumptions (unstated beliefs about what should be done)

Causal assumptions (unstated beliefs about what causes what)

Look for “gap words” like “obviously,” “clearly,” or “of course”

Work backwards from conclusions to identify necessary conditions

Consider the opposite of your beliefs to reveal hidden assumptions

Use the “Five Whys” technique to dig deeper into your reasoning

Pay attention to emotional reactions as signals of challenged assumptions

Distinguish between reasonable and unreasonable assumptions

Assess whether an assumption is based on reliable evidence

Consider whether you’re treating assumptions as certainties

Evaluate whether assumptions are more extreme than warranted

Test key assumptions before making important decisions

Keep an assumption journal for important decisions

Seek diverse perspectives to challenge your default assumptions

Practice intellectual humility by acknowledging the provisional nature of your beliefs

Distinguish between observations and interpretations in everyday situations