Knowing what not to conclude is an underrated form of intelligence.

Stopping short is a skill. The mind wants to close every loop, so it takes a few facts and produces a verdict about someone’s character, a diagnosis of what is happening, an explanation for a silence. Holding the facts without the verdict feels uncomfortable and unproductive, but it is often the most accurate position available. Restraint in concluding is not a failure to think; it is thinking that knows its own limits.

Practice noticing the moment you reach a conclusion, and try saying instead what you actually know. Someone did not reply, rather than someone is annoyed with me. Keep the smaller true statement for a day or two. Often the missing piece shows up on its own.