Beliefs
Continuum technique: a scale instead of a box
The continuum technique replaces a harsh, all-or-nothing label with a scale from 0 to 100%. You describe what each end would really look like, place other people on the line, then place yourself again. It helps when you catch yourself using one harsh word for who you are.
At a glance
| Time | 5 min |
|---|---|
| Best for | Being hard on myself |
| Level | Deeper. Goes deeper, into beliefs; easier after some practice with thought work. |
| You rate | Where you place yourself on the line, before and after |
How to do it, step by step
- Name the labelThe harsh word you use for yourself, like “failure”.
- Name its oppositeFor example “success”.
- Describe both endsWhat would someone at 0% look like? And at 100%? Be concrete.
- Place yourselfWhere are you on the line right now?
- Place three to five other peoplePeople you know, or people you've heard about.
- Place yourself againThen write down what you notice.
Continuum example: “I'm a failure”
- Label and opposite
- Failure, success
- At 0%
- Never tried anything, let everyone down, no friends, no work
- At 100%
- Succeeds at everything and never makes a mistake
- Me, at first
- 10%
- Others
- A friend who lost his job: 55%. My cousin: 70%. A colleague I admire: 80%.
- Me, now
- 50%. I have a job, friends and a home; I failed one exam.
Example only. The numbers are illustrative, not typical results.
Tips and common snags
Make the ends extreme
Most people, you included, sit somewhere in the middle.
Use real people
They make the scale concrete.
Look for the middle
The point isn't reaching 100%; it's leaving the box.
In ThinkGO
Continuum, one question at a time
- One question per screen
- Drafts saved on every change
- Your before and after ratings, side by side
- Reminders, if you want them
Coming to the App Store in January 2027
Sources
- Padesky, C. A. (1994). Schema change processes in cognitive therapy. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 1(5), 267–278.
- Greenberger, D., & Padesky, C. A. (2016). Mind Over Mood (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.