The Convenient Explanation Isn't Always the True One
After something goes wrong, the mind reaches fast for a story: bad luck, an unfair situation, someone else's mistake. These explanations feel true because they're comfortable, not because they've been checked. The detective's habit is noticing the gap between the story that protects you and the account that actually holds up.
Test Your Own Account
- Would this explanation survive someone else describing exactly what you did?
- What's the version of events where you played a bigger part?
- What would you need to see to admit the comfortable story is wrong?
Accuracy Over Comfort
A story that protects your ego rarely improves your next decision. The detective's discipline is choosing the accurate account over the flattering one, every time.
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