Practice8 min
Thought vs fact: separating what you think from what is true
A practice for checking a critical thought against actual evidence.
Critical thoughts often feel like facts, especially when they're familiar. This practice slows things down enough to ask: is this a thought, or is this evidence?
How to try it
- 1Name the thoughtWrite it exactly as it appeared, e.g. “I always mess everything up.”
- 2Ask: is this a thought or a fact?Facts can be observed by anyone; thoughts are interpretations.
- 3List the actual evidenceWhat specifically happened? Just the observable facts, no judgement words.
- 4List evidence against the thoughtTimes this hasn't been true, even small ones.
- 5Write a more balanced statementOne that fits the evidence, not just the critic's version.
This is a thinking-skills exercise, not a way to argue yourself out of real feelings. Feelings can still be valid even when a thought turns out to be inaccurate.
You might explore these in your own words — there is no right answer, and stopping partway is completely fine.