Mine the gold of good intentions

12. Mine the gold of good intentions.

Give people the benefit of the doubt. Don’t jump to conclusions; never assume the worst but always assume the best. Be honest, not everyone has good intentions and someone eventually will take advantage of you. When you are suspicious of others you convey this by your actions and body language. The blessings you gain by trusting others will outweigh any losses from those who take advantage of you.

First, check your attitude; how do you see others? Do you see them as people who sincerely desire to do good. Second, see things from the other person’s perspective. Third, give people the benefit of the doubt.

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act but a permanent attitude.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

To apply this principle: Forget about justice but focus on grace and forgiveness. Ask how you would feel if you were in the other person’s shoes. Practice the golden rule by treating others by what they intended not by what they did.


From: 25 Ways to Win with People, by John Maxwell and Les Parrott.