The “No Threshold” and Escape Velocity
Never prematurely assume that the answer is “no.”
There are two primary factors which dictate whether we can or can’t do something: an internal component and an external one.
The former is that which can be controlled by the self, such as active decision-making or mental fortitude, while the latter is influenced by others, the elements that are contingent on things beyond our control.
The problem is that we have a tendency to misjudge where the transition point between these two components is. To have a shot at winning the game, you need to be playing the game. Too often we assume too early that the answer is “no” when in reality it could be a “yes.” This misperception is an incorrect gauging of the “no threshold.”
Say you’re deciding whether to try for something. You assume that you’re at point C, where the answer will be a no. So what’s the point of trying then?
In reality, you may actually be standing at point A, where the outcome could really go either way: you could get a no, but you might also get a yes.
