CATASTROPHIZE: A made up word and 4 reasons you should never do it

‘I can’t do this!’

‘This is too hard.’

‘No one believes in me.’

‘I should quit.’ 

These might be the thoughts of a disgruntled employee, an overwhelmed middle school student, or a mom of toddlers, but they are also the thoughts of some of the best distance runners in the world. 

And it is precisely what Shannon Thompson, mental skills coach of elite distance runners, has to unteach them. Shannon calls it ‘catastrophizing’. Specifically, she says, ‘Even in elite athletes, struggle and discomfort can cause irrational thinking. First, I must teach young elite runners to stop catastrophizing their experiences because catastrophizing is almost always a lie.’ 

The topic of how we respond to discomfort is fascinating. Because to deal with it, we have to think about what we are thinking about (metacognition!). More specifically, we have to consider what discomfort makes us think about. Life is hard, and striving for excellence doesn’t make it any easier. Many of us bring work home, and as a consultant friend of mine with the Birkman Institute often says, ‘We should be just as aware how much home we bring to work.’ *Leaders should think about that quote more when leading their teams.*

Yet, C.S. Lewis quipped pain, ‘is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.’ So, how can we often respond to discomfort by telling ourselves lies when God is trying to help us to hear the truth? The problem for elite runners and Christ-followers is a problem of focus. Here are four ways that catastrophizing discomfort in our life is the wrong use of our focus. 

Catastrophizing puts our focus on ourselves - Have you ever stubbed your toe? In that moment of searing discomfort, the most minor appendage on your body becomes the only thing you can think about. This is how our ego responds to many of life’s discomforts. Tim Keller notes in ‘The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness’ that our ego is fragile. The moment the discomforts of life bump it, we can’t think about anything else. 

Catastrophizing takes our focus off God’s work - Jesus Christ warned us how the pain of worry can take our focus off what God wants to accomplish right here and now when He said, ‘Don’t worry about tomorrow.’ (Matthew 6:34). What should we do instead? Two verses earlier, Christ also gave us that answer. ‘Seek the Kingdom of God and live righteously; He will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:34) 

Catastrophizing distracts our focus from our work - Theologian Richard Blackaby rocked my world in ‘The Seasons of God’ when he described how Paul could move past being the kingpin of Stephen’s martyr and becoming the most extraordinary Christian not named Jesus. Think about that. How much guilt and self-loathing did Paul deal with knowing he was responsible for the murder of another Christ-follower? I bet he dealt with it a lot. Yet, he wrote, ‘Forgetting what is behind…I press forward.’ (Philippians 3:13-14) Catastrophizing focuses on what has happened, and Christ-following focuses on what can happen when we continue to press forward for Him. 

Catastrophizing gives our focus to the father of lies - We know that Satan is actively looking for ways to ‘devour us.’ (I Peter 5:8). The Apostle John records Christ’s clear testimony that Satan has no truth in him and is a perpetual liar (John 8:44). Our discomfort is one of the ways that Satan takes our focus off God’s work in our lives - our responsibility to follow Him - and puts that focus on lies. C.S. Lewis summed up the catastrophe of catastrophizing in ‘The Great Divorce’ when he said, ‘That is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some temporal suffering, “No future bliss can make up for it,” not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backward and turn even that agony into a glory.’ 

‘...turn even that agony into a glory.’ Wow!

Much like the discomforts of training, all make sense when a runner wins a race, God, in His wisdom and sovereignty, can turn our pain into glory. We just need to keep running for Him and never catastrophize anything! 

Keep on, keepin’ on!

‘Bite Down and Don’t Let Go’ is a collection of writings on relentlessly leading yourself and others well. Read about it more here.

Dr. Chris Hobbs is an educational leader with more than two decades of experience. He’s earned a few degrees and won some awards. He’s happily married to his high school sweetheart and they have three teenage children. Life is messy and complicated most of the time. You can follow him on Twitter for inspirational thoughts and good laughs.