--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People do it all the time--assume that…" description: "\"“People do it all the time--assume that they \"know\" what's going on in someone else's head. That's impossible. And to think it's possible is a mistake...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/104/jennifer-brown-10248_big-mistake_people-do-it-all-the-time-assume-that-th_815490.jpg" --- # People do it all the time--assume that they "know" what's… ![“People do it all the time--assume that they "know" what's going on in someone else's head. That's impossible. And to think it's possible is a mistake. A really big mistake. A life-ruining one if you're not careful.” quote by Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/104/jennifer-brown-10248_big-mistake_people-do-it-all-the-time-assume-that-th_815490.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/104/jennifer-brown-10248_big-mistake_people-do-it-all-the-time-assume-that-th_815490.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/104/jennifer-brown-10248_big-mistake_people-do-it-all-the-time-assume-that-th_815490.jpg) > ““People do it all the time--assume that they "know" what's going on in someone else's head. That's impossible. And to think it's possible is a mistake. A really big mistake. A life-ruining one if you're not careful.”” [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often assume they understand others' thoughts, but mind reading is impossible and believing otherwise can cause serious personal harm. **In simple terms:** Assuming you know others' thoughts is impossible and risky. Key Takeaway Avoid assuming you know others' thoughts. Themes misunderstanding empathy self-awareness Mood reflective cautious Type advice psychological When to use this quote - relationships - teamwork - conflict resolution - personal boundaries Key Concepts theory of mind cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify your assumptions about others? - What steps can you take to improve empathy? A Different Perspective Believing you can read minds may lead to overconfidence and misjudgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ## Related quotes > [I wouldn't say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-wouldn-t-say-anything-is-impossible-i-think-that-everything-is/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I wouldnt say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-wouldnt-say-anything-is-impossible-i-think-that-everything-is/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [What is worse - Making a big mistake in life, or living the rest of your life saying if only.?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keesling-moraiji-tatenda/what-is-worse-making-a-big-mistake-in-life-or-living-the-rest-of-your/) [Keesling Moraiji Tatenda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keesling-moraiji-tatenda/) > [I made a big mistake of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jenkins/i-made-a-big-mistake-of-my-life/) [Robert Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jenkins/) > [I've lived so little that I tend to imagine I'm not going to die; it seems improbable that human existence can be reduced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/i-ve-lived-so-little-that-i-tend-to-imagine-i-m-not-going-to-die-it/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [“The Mistake With the mistake your life goes in reverse. Now you can see exactly what you did Wrong yesterday and wrong the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fenton/the-mistake-with-the-mistake-your-life-goes-in-reverse-now-you-can/) [James Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fenton/) > [I commit a big mistake in my life. I hurt you and caused you pain. But I want to let you know that That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-josland/i-commit-a-big-mistake-in-my-life-i-hurt-you-and-caused-you-pain-but/) Azgraybebly Josland > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Three Mistake's of My Life . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . Whatsapp...Twitter…Facebook (WTF!!) KapS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-choudhary/three-mistake-s-of-my-life-whatsapp-twitter-facebook-wtf-kaps/) [Kapil Choudhary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-choudhary/) > [Many believe they understand me.The truth is,no one knows who I really am.If you can't read my mind,don't assume you know who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/many-believe-they-understand-me-the-truth-is-no-one-knows-who-i/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“when you are doubt with someone on how they feel don't pretend that you know what they were thinking, never assume yourself as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jinnul-jr/when-you-are-doubt-with-someone-on-how-they-feel-don-t-pretend-that/) [Jinnul Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jinnul-jr/) > [“Do not assume to know. You will be surprised to realize you were ignorant all along.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naide-p-obiang/do-not-assume-to-know-you-will-be-surprised-to-realize-you-were/) [Naide P Obiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naide-p-obiang/) > [Most of what we know or assume to know is wrong one way or another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/most-of-what-we-know-or-assume-to-know-is-wrong-one-way-or-another/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [How ballsy it was to just assume you know, with one glance, the things another person could live without. As if it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/how-ballsy-it-was-to-just-assume-you-know-with-one-glance-the-things/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“Never assume they know what you fear they know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-bingham/never-assume-they-know-what-you-fear-they-know/) [Harry Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-bingham/) ## More by Jennifer Brown > [“I've been thinking a lot about the word "everything." Whenever something horrible happens, you hear people say they "lost everything." They lost their house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/i-ve-been-thinking-a-lot-about-the-word-everything-whenever-something/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“People hate. That's our reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/people-hate-that-s-our-reality/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“I couldn't make myself imagine Dad holding some creamy-faced baby, cooing at it, telling it he loved it. Taking it to baseball games. Living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/i-couldn-t-make-myself-imagine-dad-holding-some-creamy-faced-baby/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“Why are you so determined to make me out to be the bad guy all the time?” I stared at the side of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/why-are-you-so-determined-to-make-me-out-to-be-the-bad-guy-all-the/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“I didn't say anything at all, because somehow saying nothing seemed more humane than giving him all these reassurances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/i-didn-t-say-anything-at-all-because-somehow-saying-nothing-seemed/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“...But would that be enough? Because at the moment it felt like it could never be enough. People needed more than a place to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/but-would-that-be-enough-because-at-the-moment-it-felt-like-it-could/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“I thought everything I knew about you might have been a lie, but since meeting him and your parents, I've realized that the parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/i-thought-everything-i-knew-about-you-might-have-been-a-lie-but-since/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“I don’t know if it’s possible to take hate away from people. Not even people like us, who’ve seen firsthand what hate can do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-possible-to-take-hate-away-from-people-not-even/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“Just concentrate on being in the moment”, he said. “Don’t read into things. See what’s really there ok?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/just-concentrate-on-being-in-the-moment-he-said-don-t-read-into/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“I understand that it would be easier for you to think of him as a hero. But, Valerie, he did kill a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/i-understand-that-it-would-be-easier-for-you-to-think-of-him-as-a/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“It was one of the constants of life. You are born, you die, you stand up when the bus doors open.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/it-was-one-of-the-constants-of-life-you-are-born-you-die-you-stand-up/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“Sometimes even stuff you expect to happen can still hurt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/sometimes-even-stuff-you-expect-to-happen-can-still-hurt/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“...we didn't know...the reality of who those people were.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/we-didn-t-know-the-reality-of-who-those-people-were/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“Will you ever forgive me? " I shot back, leveling my gaze directly into his eyes. He stared into them for a few moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/will-you-ever-forgive-me-i-shot-back-leveling-my-gaze-directly-into/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) > [“Just like there's always time for pain, there's always time for healing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-brown/just-like-there-s-always-time-for-pain-there-s-always-time-for-healing/) [Jennifer Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) [Explore all 67 Jennifer Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-brown/) ## More Big mistake quotes > [If loving you is a big mistake, I will never ever want to be right,i will always make the same mistake over and over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horla/if-loving-you-is-a-big-mistake-i-will-never-ever-want-to-be-right-i/) [Horla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horla/) > [“You never talk to the pitcher when…” He shook his head. “You just never talk to the pitcher when--” “I just wanted to congratulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawthorne/you-never-talk-to-the-pitcher-when-he-shook-his-head-you-just-never/) [Rachel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawthorne/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [If you don't make mistakes, you're not working on hard enough problems. And that's a big mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-wikzek/if-you-don-t-make-mistakes-you-re-not-working-on-hard-enough-problems/) F Wikzek > [“Hitler made only one big mistake when he built his Atlantic Wall,” the paratroopers liked to say. “He forgot to put a roof on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/hitler-made-only-one-big-mistake-when-he-built-his-atlantic-wall-the/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [Well I think its safe to say this week has been the worst week EVER I never I never thought I could get so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talyiah/well-i-think-its-safe-to-say-this-week-has-been-the-worst-week-ever-i/) [Talyiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talyiah/) > [One of the big mistakes Republicans made with the Contract with America is that they tried to do too much too fast, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gephardt/one-of-the-big-mistakes-republicans-made-with-the-contract-with/) [Dick Gephardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gephardt/) > [The press keep asking me, 'What was your biggest mistake?' But if I had made a big mistake, they'd all be writing about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-livingstone/the-press-keep-asking-me-what-was-your-biggest-mistake-but-if-i-had/) [Ken Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-livingstone/) > [We have to keep trying things we're not sure we can pull off. If we just do the things we know we can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/we-have-to-keep-trying-things-we-re-not-sure-we-can-pull-off-if-we/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [“God figured out when he separated us from the rest of the creatures that if we have the power to reason and justify and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/god-figured-out-when-he-separated-us-from-the-rest-of-the-creatures/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [Taking me seriously is a big mistake. I certainly wouldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/taking-me-seriously-is-a-big-mistake-i-certainly-wouldn-t/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I've lived so little that I tend to imagine I'm not going to die; it seems improbable that human existence can be reduced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/i-ve-lived-so-little-that-i-tend-to-imagine-i-m-not-going-to-die-it/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [One big mistake that we made in Delhi is that we made it a low-rise city which means that rich people have nice green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/one-big-mistake-that-we-made-in-delhi-is-that-we-made-it-a-low-rise/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [The feeling of being deceived, completely betrayed by someone so close to your clueless heart. You tell them everything, all the emotions and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-feeling-of-being-deceived-completely-betrayed-by-someone-so-close/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The Gift of Gab She continued by saying, “Many people dismiss small talk as being a waste of time. If you think small talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/the-gift-of-gab-she-continued-by-saying-many-people-dismiss-small/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) Browse all 285 Big mistake quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People do it all the time--assume that they \"know\" what's going on in someone else's head. That's impossible. And to think it's possible is a mistake. A really big mistake. 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