Black and White thinking is one of the Common 10 Cognitive Thinking Problems. Think 'all or nothing'. It is a failure or avoidance of thinking in between. Something will turn out either extremely positive or else be disastrous. People will accept me perfectly or think ill of me. Nothing will have a positive outcome. You are either responsibility free or totally to blame.

This extreme thinking affects our choices and behaviours. I won't bother to find work because I will fail anyway. An example of 'grey' thinking would be to acknowledge I am probably not going to perform at an ultra-high level right off but it is more likely I will perform proficiently.