112: How to Assume Positive Intent

In our last episode, we met Lucy, a leader in the hospitality industry who felt the entire weight of responsibility was on her shoulders. With her team not fully showing up, the pressure grew heavier. I spoke with Annie Meehan about how Lucy could take better ownership, care for herself, and step into stronger leadership. That conversation introduced a powerful idea: assuming positive intent. In this solo episode, I explore why assuming positive intent is one of the most valuable lessons I’ve ever learned. I share how it allowed me to release resentment, work with difficult people, and grow my career. Drawing from research by Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky and findings on “hostile attribution bias,” we’ll look at how our choices directly shape our happiness and relationships. I also break down three actionable strategies to help you apply this mindset daily: setting the intention each morning, creating and repeating your own axiom throughout the day, and reframing situations so you respond with compassion instead of resentment. If you’ve ever struggled with difficult people or found yourself holding onto negativity, this episode will give you practical ways to shift your perspective, protect your peace, and strengthen your resilience. Notable Quotes “Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different.” — Indra Nooyi “Our intentional, effortful activities have a powerful effect on how happy we are, over and above the effect of set points and circumstances.” — Sonja Lyubomirsky “They’re doing their best. At times, their version of best won’t be the same as yours, but it’s the best they have right now.” — Jay Abbasi Resources and Links Jay Abbasi Website: https://jayabbasi.me/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayabbasi/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaylabassi/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejayabbasi/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayabbasipodcast Get Featured on “Unstuck” Want to have your story featured on “Unstuck”? Submit your story through the link below, and Jay may choose to highlight your story on a future episode and offer you personalized advice on how to overcome any challenge. Submit Your Story  Join Us Next Time In Monday’s episode, you’ll meet Reggie, a plant manager at a mid-sized food processing facility. After working his way up, he’s now facing a team that’s stressed, overworked, and burning out, and he’s suffering too. I’ll be joined by Mark Black, a resilience expert, coach, and award-winning author, to explore how leaders like Reggie can turn adversity into advantage, cut through excuses, and build lasting resilience. Don’t miss this inspiring and practical discussion!