Mental strength requires a three-pronged approach — managing our thoughts, regulating our emotions, and behaving productively despite our circumstances. While all three areas can be a struggle, it’s often our thoughts that make it most difficult to be mentally strong.
As we go about our daily routines, our internal monologue narrates our experience. Our self-talk guides our behavior and influences the way we interact with others. It also plays a major role in how you feel about yourself, other people, and the world in general.
Quite often, however, our conscious thoughts aren’t realistic. Instead, they’re irrational and inaccurate. Believing our irrational thoughts can lead to a variety of problems, including communication issues, relationship problems, and unhealthy decisions.
Whether you’re striving to reach your personal or professional goals, the key to success often starts with recognizing and replacing inaccurate thoughts. The most common thinking errors can be divided into these 10 categories, which are adapted from David Burns book, Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy.