How Your Assumptions Are Blocking You From Reinventing Your Life

During World War II, researchers at the Center for Naval Analysis faced a critical problem:

Many bombers were getting shot down on runs over Germany.

The Navy brought in researchers to explore this issue and devise a solution. The researchers studied the planes that had returned from their mission but had incurred damage.

They painstakingly reviewed and recorded all the bullet holes and damage.

In time, a pattern formed.

Most of the damage was to the wings and body of the plane.

The solution was clear:

Add steel reinforcements to the wings and body of the bombers.

Everyone agreed, and a plan was created to outfit all bombers with these reinforcements.

That is until one man spoke up.

Abraham Wald was a Hungarian statistician who, after reviewing the mountain of data, said they were utterly wrong.

The Navy officials and the researchers were shocked; the data was crystal clear and, in turn, the solution.

Wald pointed out one key element.

The planes they were studying had incurred damage, sometimes significant damage — but they…