Self Sabotage: How - Cognitive Distortions

Cognitive distortions are beliefs we hold that are untrue. We then act on these untrue beliefs which often causes problems. An example of a cognitive distortion would be if “Joe’s” supervisor tells him that he wants to meet with Joe at two o’clock this afternoon. Joe starts to ruminate about what his supervisor might want and decides the supervisor is going to fire him. Joe then works himself into a frenzy based on this belief and prepares a hostile statement to make to the boss based on this false belief. Joe marches into the supervisor’s office at two o’clock, fuming and prepared to tell him off, only to find out that the supervisor merely wanted to speak to him about the project on which Joe was working. It’s easy to see how Joe’s incorrect assumption could easily have cost him his job.

Look for articles on this blog about Cognitive Distortions for a more comprehensive discussion of what they are and how to address them.