# Certainty and Accuracy By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2024-01-09 People often are certain of things about which they are entirely inaccurate. Certainty and accuracy do not necessarily go together. Whether it is the faultiness of memory, bias, or misunderstanding, humans are prone to getting things wrong. Sometimes, the topic is largely inconsequential. Definitions of a word, sports facts, or the date a particular event occurred are things people might be inaccurately certain about. These can be amusing. Other situations are more consequential. When one feels certain, it is beneficial to take a step back and ensure that one is also accurate. This is challenging because the sense of certainty makes taking this step seem pointlessly inefficient. It isn’t. When things matter, conduct a crosscheck. Challenge the sense of certainty for the sake of accuracy. Errors, big and small, compound and reverberate throughout organizations. Distinguishing between certainty and accuracy can help. #### Related Items [[Accuracy]] [[Confidence]] [[Facts]] [[Truth]] [[Cognitive Biases]] [[Organization]] [[Efficiency]]