Attribution to own capabilities. [i am not capable]

A common and often damaging way to explain failures or setbacks is to attribute them to internal, stable factors.

That is, to one's own capabilities, intelligence, innate talents or even personality, perceived as immutable aspects of the self.

This type of attribution is summarized in the idea of "I am to blame for my abilities" or, more simply, "I have failed because I am not good enough for this" or "I am not smart enough".

Characteristics of the Stable Negative Internal Attribution

When this explanation is resorted to, the responsibility for the negative outcome is fully internalized, but is linked to personal characteristics that are considered inherent and difficult, if not impossible, to change.

The person feels that the failure is due to a fundamental lack in their "way of being" or basic skills, rather than to external factors or variable aspects of their performance.

This perspective implies a sense of having no control over the possibility of the situation changing in the future, since if the problem lies in a deficient innate ability, it is assumed that it will remain so.

Disregard of Other Factors

In adopting this attribution, other important influences that could have contributed to the failure are often overlooked or minimized.

It does not take into account external circumstances (such as the difficulty of the task, lack of resources or bad luck), nor the effort invested (which is an internal but variable factor), nor the level of knowledge or preparation (which can also be modified).

Even when one has been successful in the past, if the attribution of failures is consistently internal and stable, one may come to doubt those previous successes, perhaps considering them as flukes or exceptions.

Consequences on Well-Being and Motivation

This pattern of thinking has significant negative consequences for emotional well-being and motivation.

If a person believes that his or her failures are due to a fundamental inability, he or she is likely to experience feelings of worthlessness, low self-esteem, and hopelessness.