10 Things...

Andy Prince
October 16, 2026

Assumptions. They can get us in trouble. We all assume things – at home, at work, with friends. To that end, I thought it would be interesting to ask the interwebs for 10 things we assume everyone knows. Here’s what the survey says:

Cook a simple meal. We just sort of assume everyone can make eggs and toast for breakfast (or a toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwich), but that’s not always the case. For a variety of different reasons, not everyone can make a meal.
Manage Money. How hard is it to make a budget and manage expenses so we spend less than we make, right? Not everyone was exposed to the basics of financial literacy.
Clean Properly. There are so many products on the market, it can be a challenge to figure out which is the right one for the right situation. What needs a good cleaning versus being thoroughly disinfected? And what chemicals to mix (or not mix) to avoid a serious situation.
Do Laundry. I know quite a few people within my own circle that have no idea how to do laundry.
Have A Difficult Conversation. Ooph. This is probably lots of folks. It feels easier to avoid the conversation (in hopes whatever “it” is will blow over) versus mustering the courage for an honest conversation.
Make A Genuine Apology. This one struck me as odd when I first saw it. However, as I thought more about it, it comes back to accountability. As a society, we struggle with accountability (and certainly don’t have the best public role models). It’s easier to place blame or make excuses.
Handle Basic Household Maintenance. I get this one. I really do. Things like turning off the water at its source, unclogging a toilet, or resetting a tripped breaker make complete sense when we’ve done it a couple times. But the first time, we have no clue what we’re doing. And, in today’s world, it’s easier to just call someone.
Navigate Unfamiliar Places: I hadn’t really thought about this one, until I realized this was suggesting navigating something unfamiliar without technology. If our phone runs out of battery, what would we do?
Judge Whether Information Is Trustworthy: Basically, critical thinking skills. And this is currently such an important skill with SO much misinformation out in the world. If this wasn’t a skill taught in school or at home, it’s hard to suddenly be able to accurately judge information.
Ask For Help. This one was interesting as well. But…we’ve been told for so much of our lives that we lift ourselves up by the bootstraps, that struggle builds character, that asking for help is a sign of weakness. I’ve come to discover that asking for help is one of the bravest things a person can do.

There it is. An interesting list, for sure. Some of these skills are fairly simple and straightforward, but some of these skills have layers of complexity and nuance. Regardless, for me, the list serves as a good reminder that not everybody knows what I know. Not everybody has had the same opportunities or exposure. That there is a real distinction between “everyone should have the opportunity to learn this” and “everyone must already know it.” Sometimes, we all need a bit of space and grace.

Until next week.

Andy

(All written content created the old-fashioned way.)