Emotions & Relationships
Attribution Bias
That inner voice that whispers 'it was just luck' when you succeed but shouts 'it's all your fault' when you stumble.
Tendency to credit successes to external factors (luck, timing) while attributing failures to personal inadequacy. Central to impostor syndrome cognitive patterns.
How it works
Your brain scans for evidence that fits a negative story about yourself and ignores what doesn't fit. Praise and achievements get dismissed as accidents, while mistakes feel like proof of deep inadequacy. Over time, this trains your brain to expect the worst about you.
Think of it like
It's like having a sports commentator who blames you loudly for every missed shot but whispers 'must be luck' when you score.
What it feels like
You downplay your achievements and feel like you're fooling everyone, waiting to be 'found out.' You work harder and harder for approval, yet rarely let yourself feel genuinely proud.