Filter 3 - Distort -Your Brain deletes, generalises and distorts
How Your Brain Distorts Reality Without You Realizing It
Imagine walking into a carnival funhouse filled with mirrors. In one reflection, your head looks enormous, your legs tiny. In another, you're stretched out like spaghetti. You know these mirrors are distorting reality, yet for a moment, they feel real.
Now imagine this same effect happening—not in a carnival—but inside your own mind.
Your brain doesn’t just filter and generalize information; it also distorts it. It bends, twists, and reshapes reality to fit your internal narrative, beliefs, and emotions. And just like the funhouse mirror, these distortions feel real.
Sometimes, this helps you. A little optimism or self-confidence boost can push you to succeed. But often, these mental distortions create unnecessary fear, self-doubt, or overconfidence, subtly influencing your decisions and relationships.
Today, we’re stepping into the mental funhouse to understand how distortion works, why it happens, and how to recognize when your brain is bending reality out of shape.
What is Cognitive Distortion?
Cognitive distortion is your brain’s tendency to interpret information in a way that reinforces your existing beliefs, emotions, or biases—regardless of whether those beliefs are accurate.
It’s not about your brain lying to you on purpose. It’s about efficiency. Your mind wants your internal story to feel consistent, even if that means bending the facts.
Some common types of distortions include:
Mind Reading: Assuming you know what others are thinking. (They didn’t text back—they must be mad at me.)
Catastrophizing: Assuming the worst possible outcome. (If I mess up this presentation, I’ll lose my job.)
Personalization: Believing everything is about you. (They’re quiet today—it must be something I did.)
Black-and-White Thinking: Viewing situations in extremes. (If I’m not perfect, I’m a failure.)
These distortions aren’t random—they’re shaped by your past experiences, emotions, and the mental shortcuts your brain relies on to process overwhelming amounts of information.
Why Your Brain Distorts Reality
Your brain distorts information for a few key reasons:
To Protect You: Fear-based distortions (e.g., catastrophizing) are designed to keep you on high alert for danger, even when the threat isn’t real.
To Stay Consistent: Your brain wants your internal world to match your external reality. If there’s a mismatch, it bends one to fit the other.
To Save Energy: It’s mentally taxing to analyze every situation objectively. Distortions allow your brain to make quick, easy conclusions.
For example:
You’re preparing for a big presentation. Your brain distorts reality by replaying every time you’ve stumbled in the past while ignoring times you succeeded.
A friend cancels dinner plans. Your brain distorts their action into rejection rather than considering that they might just be tired.
Distortion isn’t always negative—it’s just biased. And those biases have consequences.
When Distortion Becomes a Problem
Distortions become harmful when they consistently pull you away from reality and cause unnecessary stress, anxiety, or poor decision-making.
In Relationships: Distorting someone’s silence as anger can lead to unnecessary conflict.
In Your Career: Believing “I’m not good enough” based on one mistake can stop you from taking opportunities.
In Your Personal Life: Catastrophizing small setbacks can prevent you from taking risks or enjoying the present moment.
The problem isn’t the distortion itself—it’s not seeing it for what it is: a warped reflection, not the truth.
Spotting Your Brain’s Distortion Patterns
Distortions often hide in plain sight because they feel true. But with a little awareness, you can start identifying and challenging them.
Catch the Thought: When you notice strong emotions or negative assumptions, pause and ask yourself: What exactly am I thinking right now?
Example: They haven’t replied to my email—they must hate my idea.
Question the Evidence: Ask yourself: What evidence do I have for this belief? What evidence do I have against it?
Is there a chance they’re just busy?
Label the Distortion: Put a name to what’s happening. Is this mind reading? Catastrophizing? Black-and-white thinking?
Naming the distortion helps you separate it from reality.
Reframe the Thought: Replace the distorted thought with a more balanced one.
Instead of: “They must hate my idea.”
Try: “They might be busy, and it’s not about me.”
Zoom Out: Ask yourself: Will this matter in a week? A month? A year? Distortions thrive on emotional immediacy. A broader perspective often shrinks them.
When Distortion Can Be Useful
Interestingly, not all distortions are bad. Optimistic distortions—like believing in your ability to succeed against the odds—can drive you to achieve great things.
Entrepreneurs often distort reality by underestimating risks and overestimating their chances of success. Without this bias, many great businesses would never exist.
Athletes sometimes use distortion to psych themselves up before a competition, telling themselves they’re unstoppable.
The goal isn’t to eliminate all distortions but to recognize them and choose which ones serve you.
Conclusion: Straightening the Mental Mirror
Your brain will always distort reality to some degree—it’s part of being human. But the more aware you become of these mental funhouse mirrors, the more control you’ll have over your thoughts, emotions, and actions.
The next time you catch yourself thinking:
“This will end in disaster.”
“They must hate me.”
“I’m always failing.”
Pause. Ask yourself:
Is this actually true, or is this my brain distorting reality?
Because most of the time, the distortion isn’t reality—it’s just a reflection in a warped mirror. And once you see it for what it is, you can step back, adjust the angle, and start seeing the truth with far greater clarity.
Reality isn’t always kind, but it’s far more manageable than the twisted versions our minds sometimes create. And clarity? That’s where true power begins.
