Slave Lesson: Anticipate, do not predict or assume
Definition of anticipate
3 : to foresee and deal with in advance : forestall
5 : to act before (another) often so as to check or counter
(From https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anticipate)
Definition of predict
1 : to declare or indicate in advance; especially : foretell on the basis of observation, experience, or scientific reason
(From https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predict)
Definition of assume
4 : to take as granted or true : suppose
(From https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assume)
Although these three words seem to state basically the same thing, they are different.
To assume is to suppose, or guess, what the outcome of something will be. Not everyone is the same, and people do change. To assume what your Master wants is to also assume that he has not had something happen that has changed his mind on something. Chances are, if it is a regular thing and always the same each time, that it will be so again. But that is not assuming, that is following a pattern. No Master can, or rather should, get upset in any way if you are simply following a long-standing pattern and/or your previous orders when he has suddenly changed his mind. But to guess what he will want when there is no previous standing pattern or order is assuming, and assuming is based on your own personal feelings and observations more than what another person may actually want.
To predict, is to take an educated guess on future events. First, are you psychic? Can you tell the future will 100% accuracy? Can you peer into time and see what will happen? No? Then never try to predict what your Master might want. If it is not a pattern, as noted above, and not a long-standing order, don’t try and predict what your Master might want. If you don’t know, ask, or wait to receive instructions. Basically, assuming and predicting are, more or less, the same thing, if only slightly different in explanation and definition.
Anticipating is another matter entirely. To anticipate is to use all information of a current situation and all knowledge of your Masters preferences, combined with what you know from your past experiences with your Master and the pattern of previous orders, to ‘know’ what they are going to want moments before having to be told to do something. Still confused? I don’t blame you. Still sounds like the same thing, doesn’t it? Well maybe a few examples will clear it up.
Situation: Party or event where alcohol is being served. Masters glass in nearly empty, but he is deeply involved in a conversation that he appears to find important. What do you do? Do you: A) Take his glass and refill it; B) Go and get a new glass, make him another drink and then offer him the new glass and take the old one; or C) Do nothing and wait to be told to get him another drink?
Answer: Well that all depends on your Master. Do you have a protocol set in place for this situation? If so that do what that protocol states you should do. Does he like it when you anticipate his needs and do things without being told? If not, then wait to be told. But for this example, let’s say that you don’t have a protocol for this, nothing has been said about it beforehand, and that he does like it when you correctly anticipate his needs and fulfil them without being told.
Think about your Master for a moment. Is he a heavy drinker, social or otherwise? If so, then he is likely going to want another drink. If not, then he might not want another one right now. Does he like to get drunk? If so, getting him another drink is possibly right. If not, maybe you should wait for his indications that he does want one. Does he have a rule of drinking and playing? Is he done playing for the night? If so, then maybe he wants another. If not, waiting is likely best. Is he driving tonight? If so, waiting is likely best. If not, another drink may be in order. Think of other parties or events in the past where this situation has come up and use what happened there as a template for this one. Also think of any other variables that might impact his choice to have another drink or not. Go over each variable, weigh them against what you do know about your Master for a fact, and then see if you can anticipate what he will want.
Let’s say, in this example, that he is a heavy social drinker, likes to get drunk, does have a rule about intoxication and playing (and let’s hope everyone has that rule) but he is not planning on playing anymore tonight, he isn’t driving anywhere until the next evening, and he has always wanted his glass full before. Then the answer is obvious, he’s most likely going to want another drink. Now, let’s say all this is the same, but he is planning on playing later tonight or driving home or both. Then it is most likely that he may not want another drink right now, and you should wait for him to indicate if he wants another.
Now, let me point out that you are not going to be able to anticipate your Masters needs and wants correctly every time. You are going to get it wrong sometimes. The longer you are with a person, the more you know about them, the more often you will be right. But if you and your Master are in a new relationship/dynamic then you will likely find that you are wrong more often than right. But don’t let that discourage you from trying. Mistakes are how we learn. If you do one thing and get it wrong, then you know not to do it again. But if you do something right, remember it and do it again next time. If it is wrong the next time, try and understand why it was right the first time and wrong the next. Any good Master worth the use of that honorific title will tell you why and explain what was different in the two situations. Once you understand what that is, the next time you will have more information to attempt to anticipate what you should, or shouldn’t, do.