when people say - 'So-and-so did it, you can too.' Or, 'You know, so-and-so also went through something similar and this is what he/she did...you can also do it.' Or, 'So-and-so tackled this issue in this way...you can too.'
Thing is, I may not, really not, be able to do what someone else did, or how someone else tackled a similar issue. I'm me, with all my failings and shortcomings and inabilities. Good points too, but there are my own fears and insecurities as well. The way I process things in my mind is different.
A lot of what we think about ourselves, particularly our negative attributes, are assumptions.
A lot of what other people think about us are also assumptions. Assumptions usually are just that - assumptions.
I checked the Free Dictionary and Thesaurus for better understanding this word. One of the definitions of assumption according to the Dictionary is 'something taken for granted or accepted as true without proof; a supposition'. The Thesaurus too gives as synonyms - something taken for granted; something expected; presumption; and supposition' among many others.
So there it is - based on how we view ourselves, or others view us, certain assumptions are made by us of ourselves and by others of us.
Isaac Asimov says: Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in.
This is exactly what we should do...
As for others' assumptions of us...scrub them all off instantly...so that the light comes in for US to shine. If we can't do something as someone else does - no matter...Good for us that we arrived at this! We must do what we can, how we can, when we can...so that our light shines out....just for us...