Brett offers a brilliant analogy: in a creativity test, you list uses for a brick. If your projection is “this is a brick, it’s for masonry,” you’ll list a few uses. But the more you see it as just an object — not a brick — the more uses appear: a counterweight, sand for Play-Doh, a million others. The same applies to emotions: if “I’m angry” can only mean “someone wronged me,” that’s one projection. But entering the essence of the anger reveals it might signal an undrawn boundary, lack of self-care, or something else entirely.
Joe extends this: people who see through projections appear smart because they come up with innovative ideas and act in seemingly unusual but effective ways. “It’s not so much that they’re smart or not smart — it’s that they don’t see the same level of limitation on everything that somebody who fully buys into their projections sees.” Seeing through projections literally expands the array of possibilities visible to you.
This connects to wonder, impartiality, vulnerability, and empathy — all traits that lead to “a more granular awareness of reality beyond the initial assumptions.” The initial assumptions still exist and can guide quick action, but awareness of them as projections allows you to see alternative interpretations and possibilities that were previously invisible.
Related Concepts
- Wonder is curiosity without needing an answer
- Holding opposing viewpoints creates freedom
- Being in the question beats finding the answer