If you find yourself thinking, “Nothing ever works out for me,” you’re engaging in confirmation bias. We tend to pay special attention to evidence that supports our preconceptions while tuning out contradictory evidence. If you think nothing ever goes your way, it’s probably because you’re willfully forgetting all the times things did go your way. These positive outcomes conflict with your preferred self-narrative, and so you ignore them.
Cognitive bias can occur anywhere. For example, as a mentor, if you think your mentee isn’t dedicated enough, make sure that you aren’t ignoring evidence to the contrary. Likewise, if you’re always impressed by their performance, make sure there aren’t adverse outcomes you’ve forgotten because you want to believe in your mentee’s devotion.