Keeping a check on rationalisation.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.
~ RICHARD P. FEYNMAN, Nobel Prize–winning physicist
Rationalisation stops us from looking at the hard truth. It weaves a story that dilutes the reality and provides justification for whatever conundrum we are caught in.
Rationalisation is what makes us go in circles when we are caught in the web of resistance. If it was not for rationalisation, we would see the game that resistance is playing and take action to counter it.
Data is what can help us check against rationalisation. It helps us see the way things are.
Although, it is still tricky because we have to choose which data to look at and let it not fool us.