Agreements Quote by Miguel Ruiz
““In any kind of relationship we can make the assumption that others know what we think, and we don’t have to say what we want. They are going to do what we want because they know us so well. If they don’t do what we want, what we assume they should do, we feel hurt and think, “How could you do that? You should know.” Again, we make the assumption that the other person knows what we want. A whole drama is created because we make this assumption and then put more assumptions on top of it.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, 1997
People often assume others can read their minds, leading to disappointment when expectations aren’t met.
In simple terms: We expect others to know our desires without saying them.
Key Takeaway
Communicate needs clearly.
Themes
communication
expectations
relationships
assumptions
hurt
Mood
frustrated
hopeful
Type
advice
reflective
When to use this quote
- romantic partnership
- friendship
- workplace collaboration
- family dynamics
Key Concepts
mindreading
emotional intelligence
boundary setting
Questions to Reflect On
- What expectations are you assuming?
- How can you express your needs directly?
A Different Perspective
Assumptions can be wrong; clarity requires effort.
![“We [MIT Smart Cities research group] try to identify the fundamental underlying design assumptions that everybody takes as a sort of given and unchallengeable when you think about solving these problems. And we try to challenge those assumptions.” quote by William J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a2b/william-j-mitchell-31611_assumption_we-mit-smart-cities-research-group-try-t_291234.jpg)
