How to Think Logically (Part 2)

Method Two of Three:
Recognizing Irrationality

 

1

Recognize how you catastrophize. Many people, especially when in high-stress scenarios, tend to catastrophize. That is, they assume the worst possible outcome for a given event. Try to recognize when you are catastrophizing a moment.

• Catastrophizing takes on many forms. Say, for example, your boss sent you an email about contributing more during work meetings. If you're prone to catastrophizing, you might take this to mean your job is in jeopardy, your boss thinks you're a poor worker, you'll end up fired and unemployable, and your friends and family members will all think less of you. If you catch yourself snowballing like this, take a deep breath and try to think logically. In this example, you could think to yourself, "It's my boss's job to give me constructive feedback. She just wants to push me to perform my best and everyone gets criticism on occasion. It's a normal part of life."^[8]


• Minimizing is a form of catastrophizing where you ignore your successes and good qualities and do not see the negatives in other people's lives. You may think some people have it all, are flawless and successful, and then when you realize they are flawed in some manner you write them off. You might also do this for yourself - you'll think you're the most successful person in the world then, after a small setback, see yourself as a massive failure. Try to recognize these thinking patterns as flawed and recognize the fact everyone is made of both good and bad qualities.^[9]

2

Stay away from self-aggrandizing thoughts. Having an unrealistic sense of self-importance is just as bad as catastrophizing. If you think of yourself as the most important person in the office or the most talented student in a class, you're probably not thinking clearly.

• Everyone contributes an important role to a company, school, organization, and field. A sense of grandiosity is not only off-putting but it can actually cause you to have setbacks at work and life. A sense of self-awareness is important to regulate how you interact with others. Try to combat feelings of grandiosity by reminding yourself that while it's important to feel good about yourself you need to acknowledge the hard work and contributions of others as well.^[10]


• Personalization is a form of self-aggrandizing where you think events that have little to do with you are somehow caused by your presence. This can be for better or for worse. If a co-worker is talking to an attractive person in the office, you may assume he or she is trying to make you jealous. If the same co-worker can't make it to your birthday party, you may assume he or she harbors a secret grudge against you when in fact he or she may have simply been busy. If you find yourself personalizing, try to remember that other people's lives are as hectic as yours. They likely have little time to make decisions with regards to you.^[11]

3

Be aware of magical thinking. Magical thinking is not just for children. Adults sometimes engage in superstitious thought patterns as well, particularly in response to a traumatic event. People believe engaging in some ritual, like wishing or thinking positive thoughts, can have an impact on a situation. Try to remember that, while it's painful to acknowledge, there are many situations over which we have little or no control.^[12]

• This type of thinking is often causes people to not take responsibility for their actions. If you have a problem, make sure to acknowledge and accept it, then find a way to correct or learn from it.

4

Watch for logical leaps. Logical leaps are leaps in judgment, where you make assumptions about people or situations that are not based in reality. People make logical leaps all the time without realizing it.

• For example, if a cashier is rude to you, you may assume, "I bet she doesn't like me because of my appearance, weight, attire, etc." when in reality you have no idea what another person is thinking.^[13]


• People also tend to assume someone will naturally know what they're thinking, which can lead to confusion. For example, you may assume your roommate knows you want him to let your dog out as you'll be home late, but if you do not express this he may not realize it. Try to be conscious of logical leaps in your day-to-day life and catch yourself making them.^[14]

5

Recognize "all or nothing" judgments. All or nothing judgments are a common form of irrational thought patterns. People are unable to see the gray in situations and see situations, people, and outcomes as either entirely positive or entirely negative.^[15]

• You might, for example, feel like you're a complete failure if you misspelled one word in an e-mail without acknowledging the fact your message was conveyed successfully and no one commented on the error. Make an effort to accept that most things in life are neither entirely positive or negative.