James Cagney never said “You dirty rat” in any of his films. Nor did Humphrey Bogart say “Play it again, Sam” in the movie Casablanca.

The Caesar salad isn’t named after Julius Caesar. It was named for its creator, Caesar Gardini who first prepared it in his restaurant in Mexico.

The cashew isn’t technically a nut (ever see a cashew shell?). It is classified as the seed of a fruit called the cashew apple. And speaking of seeds, that what a coffee bean really is–not a bean, a seed.

These entertaining facts point to a bigger question: how much of the important things we believe to be true really aren’t? I’ve read–and been unable to source–that 15% of what we are certain happened didn’t; that we’re recalling events incorrectly. While this might explain a few disagreements with your spouse, it should also be reason to pause next time you feel like forcefully advancing your point about what really happened (even if 15% may not be completely accurate).

I’m not advocating a life spent waffling. I am suggesting that we’d all be well served to dig a little deeper into our beliefs and opinions. Obviously much if not most of what we believe is well-founded and true, but the minority of our beliefs that are erroneous can be potentially ruinous to decision-making, relationships and even effective leadership.

We live in the age of easy answers. As much as I love the convenience of the internet, I remind myself that just because it appears on the web doesn’t make it true. Cads and liars can use the net just as easily as you and me.