Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement

Overthinking: The psychology of catastrophizing and how to stop assuming the worst

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Apr 25, 2025
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INSIGHT

The Nature of Catastrophizing

  • Catastrophizing happens because our brain magnifies negative stories and minimizes positives, making worst-case scenarios feel incredibly real.
  • This cognitive distortion leads to anxiety and limits our potential by skewing our perception of reality negatively.
ADVICE

Build Awareness to Interrupt Catastrophizing

  • Build awareness to identify when and why catastrophizing occurs, especially noticing your triggers and habits.
  • Use this awareness to develop tools that help you quickly step out of catastrophizing and limit its damage.
ANECDOTE

Work Deadline Catastrophe Example

  • In a work scenario, imagining missing a deadline snowballs into a catastrophic story about being judged, fired, and becoming a failure.
  • Each step feels plausible, yet the overall picture is a blown-out-of-proportion negative forecast.
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