"Judgmental thinking refers to the tendency to form negative opinions and evaluations of others or oneself, based on limited or incomplete information". "It involves making quick assumptions and conclusions about people, situations or events, without taking the time to consider all the relevant facts and perspectives" says Gaurav Mandal.
Judgmental thinking can be harmful for self-growth in several ways.
Firstly, it can lead to biased and unfair perceptions of others, which can create conflicts and hinder relationships.
Secondly, it can limit one's ability to learn and grow by creating a fixed and narrow perspective that may not be open to new ideas and experiences.
Thirdly, it can lead to negative self-talk and self-doubt, which can undermine one's confidence and self-esteem.
Here are some real-life examples of judgmental thinking and how it can be harmful for self-growth:
Example 1: You meet someone new at a party and immediately assume that they are boring and uninteresting based on their appearance and initial conversation. As a result, you avoid engaging with them for the rest of the evening, missing out on the opportunity to learn about their unique perspectives and experiences.
Example 2: You receive feedback from your boss on a project you completed, and instead of considering their perspective and feedback, you immediately become defensive and dismissive, assuming that they are just being critical and unfair. As a result, you miss the opportunity to learn from their feedback and improve your skills for future projects.
Example 3: You are constantly criticizing yourself for not being good enough, based on a limited and narrow standard of success. As a result, you feel stuck and unable to grow, and may even experience feelings of depression and anxiety.
In conclusion, judgmental thinking can be harmful for self-growth by limiting our ability to learn and grow, creating biased and unfair perceptions of others, and undermining our confidence and self-esteem. It is important to practice empathy, curiosity, and openness to new perspectives and experiences in order to overcome this tendency and achieve personal growth.