Thinking in black or white; thinking in extremes or absolutes. Using words such as “always,” “never,” or “every” to describe yourself or situations.
A person with all-or-nothing thinking may believe that they need to be perfect and any slight deviation from that means that they’re a complete failure. This type of thinking lacks any nuance or middle-ground.
Examples: No one likes me. I am always a bother to other people. I never win anything. I always fail.
Tip: Try thinking in shades of gray instead of black and white. Try assigning a percentage value like 33% instead of 0% or 100%.
Reframe: I know at least one person who likes me, so it can’t be 0%. Even though my coworkers sometimes need to cover for me, they say they enjoy working with me and invite me to dinner.