Why is mind-reading a terrible and ineffective habit we need to stop doing?
Angry archaic symbols were etched across every inch of the obsidian vault door. A large menacing stone gargoyle perched pensively in front of the entrance. It’s large tendril wings towered high in the air. Its fangs gleamed in the moonlight and its stone eyes stared dangerously into the dark abyss. This gargoyle guarded the magical vault of a long deceased wizard. Inside of it was rumored to contained thousands of magical relics and priceless treasures.
Flocks of archeologists, adventurers, and thieves have scoured the bogs of Romania in search of this secret crypt. And when they inevitably do stumble upon it, they are taken back by the greeting of the gargoyle.
For every time he is approached, the stone gargoyle growls to life. The loud snapping and cracking of all of its ancient joints fill each visitors’ hearts with terror. As it stretches out its bat-like wings and razor sharp claws, the gargoyle always intimidatingly asks, “Password?”
Many of these treasure seekers flee. The more courageous ones try to stall and decipher the strange runes on the door. But no matter how many guesses were given to the gargoyle, no one has been able to answer correctly. The treasures that lay in the vault were left untouched for thousands of years.
Until one day, a lost little girl stumbled upon the magical vault. Although she was deeply startled by the gargoyle’s menacing appearance and angry demand for a password, she didn’t run away. Instead she innocently and honestly said, “I really don’t know. Can you please tell me?”
And to her surprise, the gargoyle gently crouched down and whispered into her ear, “The password is… Grimroot. My deceased master’s favorite cup of tea.” And when the little girl excitedly yelled out “GRIMROOT!”, the gargoyle grinned and stepped back. The magical vault rumbled opened to unveil a chamber full of unimaginable treasures.
A lot of us are like the treasure seekers who waste our lifetimes trying to guess what is on the mind of another person. But sometimes the easiest and scariest way to figure that out… is to simply ask.
