Jumping to conclusions is a prevalent form of negative thinking, often characterized by drawing negative and catastrophic conclusions. This cognitive distortion occurs when one forms a negative judgment without sufficient evidence or grounding in reality. Consequently, individuals tend to torment themselves with thoughts of their perceived misfortune.
The mindset of jumping to conclusions can be likened to possessing a crystal ball that only predicts misery. If such a crystal ball existed, it would only make sense to dispose of it immediately.
Therefore, there is no valid reason to retain such a pessimistic thinking pattern. This type of cognitive distortion, where negative conclusions are automatically jumped to, can be categorized into two types.
Fortunetelling, also known as jumping to conclusions, is a cognitive distortion where you anticipate a negative outcome without considering other possibilities. By convincing yourself that the negative outcome is certain, you invite negative emotions such as depression, anxiety, sadness, or anger.
It's important to understand that these negative conclusions you jump to are often inaccurate. You're essentially making predictions without any real evidence or knowledge. Consequently, you may suffer because the imagined outcome in your mind doesn't align with what you actually desire.
Consider this: What if I told you that your frequent jumping to conclusions is often incorrect? What if I suggested that you're making a common fortuneteller error? You're assuming something will happen, but it's merely an assumption. In reality, you have no concrete evidence to support whether your predictions are true or false.
Acting upon flawed assumptions is the foundation of many significant mistakes. Additionally, tormenting yourself based on untested assumptions represents a profound lack of trust in yourself, life, and your own personal power.
While it is true that bad things can happen occasionally, even to good people, they are not as frequent as our minds tend to believe. Moreover, it is crucial to refrain from being hard on ourselves until we have all the necessary information, as more often than not, our assumptions are incorrect.
Fortunetelling takes various forms, such as predicting failure on an exam despite adequate preparation, being unable to find a parking spot, launching a product that won't sell, or missing out on a promotion. These predictions are based on negative assumptions generated by our minds and are not grounded in reality until we gather all the facts and receive appropriate feedback.
The fortunetelling industry thrives because people seek reassurance that the negative outcomes they envision are not as dire as they imagine. However, there are ways to achieve this reassurance without consulting a fortuneteller. It is essential to train our minds not to jump to conclusions and to avoid dwelling on negative thoughts. By practicing simple exercises, we can reduce anxiety and negativity in our lives.
And in 90% of cases, the things you worry about are unrelated to reality.
Why do people consult fortunetellers?
Fortunetelling is a lucrative industry. When your mind indulges in fantasies of negative outcomes, you seek a counterbalance. You desire reassurance that things aren't as dire as your mind imagines them to be.
Hence, you visit a fortuneteller who hopefully assures you that everything will be fine, one way or another. Consequently, your negative thoughts gradually dissipate.
Avoiding hasty conclusions
Seeking reassurance in oneself or in life does not necessitate consulting a fortuneteller. All you need to do is ensure that your mind is not a pessimistic crystal ball foreseeing only misery in your future.
The beauty of it is that you can alleviate a significant portion of anxiety and negativity by disciplining your mind not to hastily jump to conclusions. Various simple exercises can help you achieve this.