When What You Thought Is Wrong
Jul 20, 2025
It’s been a tough week, so I wanted to share some encouragement with you.
We all love our iPhones. We enjoy the convenience of iMessages. But what about I-thoughts?
You know the ones— “That’s what I thought!” You’ve probably said that phrase a million times. But let me ask you something: can you remember the last time you were absolutely sure of something… and turned out to be dead wrong?
Maybe you thought…
I will NEVER overcome this financial challenge.
I will ALWAYS fail.
There’s NO WAY I can beat this problem.
We’ve all been there. Those I-thoughts creep in, sound convincing, and before we know it, they’re steering our emotions, decisions, and even our leadership.
When things feel uncertain or stressful? Watch out. That’s when negative I-thoughts can go into overdrive.
The 3 P's of Negative Thinking
Here they are:
- Personal:
When you say, “It’s always me” or “Why do I always mess things up?” you’ve made the problem personal. You’ve internalized a situation that likely has many moving parts. - Permanent:
Ever thought, “This will never change,” or “It’s always going to be this way”? That’s making it permanent. But very few things in life are actually forever. - Pervasive:
This is when you let one thing ruin everything. “My whole life is a mess,” or “Everything’s falling apart.” That’s pervasive thinking—when a single issue casts a shadow over everything else.
These 3 P’s create a mental fog that can lead us from simple distress to full-blown despair. And here’s the formula for despair:
Hurt – Hope = Despair
Read that again. When we’re hurting but still holding onto hope, we can endure, heal, and even grow. But when hope is gone? That’s when our leadership dims, our confidence cracks, and our influence shrinks.
Flip the Script: From “I Thought It Was Through” to “I Thought It Through”
Here’s the pivot point. Many of us say, “I thought it was through”—as in, over. Finished. Hopeless.
But what if instead, we said: “Then, I thought it through.” See the shift?
When we pause, breathe, and engage our problem-solving mindset, new options appear. Solutions come to the surface. We see people and problems in a different light. That’s the power of thinking it through rather than giving up too soon.
Resilient Leaders Remember This
We’re tougher than we look. I was a child in the 70s and played with “Weebles.” Do you remember them? I like to say, I’m a weeble—I wobble, but I don’t fall down. And neither do you.
Leadership doesn’t mean you always think the right thought first—it means you catch yourself, challenge your assumptions, and reset your mindset. That’s how you lead others through fog and fear—by learning how to lead yourself first.
So, the next time an I-thought rushes in, take a moment. Ask:
- Is this personal, or is it just life?
- Is this permanent, or just a passing moment?
- Is this pervasive, or can I name one thing going right?
Then, give yourself the gift of thinking it through. You’ll be amazed how the light starts to shine again.
Let’s keep wobbling forward, together.