Trust

I’m reminded of trust every time I drive under a train overpass in my neighborhood. It is one lane wide and you can’t see the other side. The light alternates letting each direction through, if someone ran a light they would cause a head on collision in a confined passage. Every time I go through it makes me edgy.

Life is filled with all sorts of situations fit this metaphor. Yet, we trust more and more as there is more specificity.

If I know who I am trusting on the other side, I’m more likely to trust. In the case of the light above, it can be anyone running through the other side. That makes it more uncertain.

If I know what I am trusting, I’m more likely to trust. In the example, I at least know that I’m trusting someone to obey the light, and I’m trusting the light to work properly.

The more specific, the more likely trust is to be built.

When you are saying “Trust me.” it’s likely the wrong approach, you should really be saying, “Let me clarify,” and the trust will come naturally.