All-or-Nothing Thinking


Negative Thought

: Viewing situations as black or white, with no middle ground.

Example:

  • Problem: You planned to go to the gym five times this week but only managed to go three times.

  • Negative Thinking: "I failed because I didn’t go every day. If I can’t do it perfectly, it’s pointless."

  • Mind Hack: Find the Gray Area—Focus on the positive: "I went to the gym three times, which is still progress." Recognize that partial success is still success.

Mind Hacks

  • Find the Gray Area:

    Challenge yourself to see the middle ground by asking, "What’s one small success I can focus on?"

  • Redefine Success:

    Focus on progress rather than perfection. Celebrate incremental improvements.

  • Collect Data:

    Look for exceptions where things weren't entirely one way or the other. Keep a journal of situations with mixed outcomes.