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There are these types of people that you either love or hate. I call them the "Think Positives." Now, some of these people are actually okay. In fact, I find most of them that I run across to be great to be around. There is one group of those that I can't stand. These are the religious fundamentalists of the Think Positive movement. These are the types that if you so much as acknowledge a mistake you made, they will jump on you and beat you over your head with canned phrases such as, "You're being too negative!!!" "You are putting yourself down." "It's all in your head."
Excuse me, when did Thinking positive mean that you have to BS yourself?! When did Positive Thinking mean Self delusion?! I just point out a simple fact, and my words get twisted and I get the "Negative" label.
Why don't you guys show me how to become a millionaire by sitting there and thinking "I am a millionaire?!" This doesn't even happen in my dreams. I have a flat (bike) tire. Show me how to inflate it by thinking "My tire is full of air." I've had to buy new tubes and use my pump for full tires.
The sad thing is when you get to know my beliefs and thoughts, you'll actually find me to be a rather optimistic person. I just don't lie to myself when I have a big problem. I've never seen anyone materialize a million bucks in front of them by just thinking about it. I have had some pleasant surprises happen (like hot chick having a crush on me), interestingly enough, it always happened when I was not in the "pie in the sky" thought mode. I was thankful for what I had and working towards positive goals.
What I am trying to say is that positive thinking alone is not going to get you what you want, unless you just want to be happy. If you want to build a family, start a business, etc. then you need to get to work. Sitting there thinking positively is not going to cut it.
Thinking positively is meant more to inspire you to take positive action towards positive results. It is also important to understand that things are not always going to work out the way you want it too. Positive thinking is the best when it is grounded in reality. A real positive person can acknowledge his problems and still find a way to make a positive out of life.
In other words, don't just think positive, be positive.
Show me your positive attitude without works, and I'll show you my positive attitude through my works.
I agree. And if we never had any bad days, the good days would not feel good!
And I don't think being positive will necessarily cause positive things to happen.... Rather it is NEGATIVE thinking which can keep someone from accomplishing something. Or keep them from even trying.
For example I play the game of pool. Every once and awhile I'll play with someone and he might have a certain shot. Then he will say "I'm no good at these shots!" Then he shoots and misses the shot.
Now just thinking positive is not going to get him to shoot that shot good.
I say STOP! Then I have him shoot just that shot over and over (if he wants to improve that is).
I mark the table where the balls go and have him shoot the same exact shot say 50 times. After about 10 or 15 shots, he starts to make the shots. After about 50, he is making most of those shots.
Then I say "You are now GOOD at making those shots!"
When I see him have a similar shot come up some other time, I say "There's that shot you are good at!"
Then several months later I might be playing him. That shot will come up, he will make it, then HE will say "I'm getting better and better at those shots!"
I smile!
Actually that is a trick to learning pool shots. The practice must be the same exact shot over and over. Many people don't know that. But along with that is also getting rid of the negative self-comments.
Anyway I would say positive thinking along with hard work will sure work wonders...
What your missing is that it doesn't matter what you are consciously thinking if your unconscious program is negative - It could effectively be defeating all of your conscious "positive" thinking . . . for people to pick up on your negative "thinking" enough to comment on it, you must be broadcasting that, somehow . . .people pick up on these things.
What your missing is that it doesn't matter what you are consciously thinking if your unconscious program is negative - It could effectively be defeating all of your conscious "positive" thinking . . . for people to pick up on your negative "thinking" enough to comment on it, you must be broadcasting that, somehow . . .people pick up on these things.
Yes yes yes!! Positive thinking without works is pointless. Why would I tell myself over & over, "I'm gonna make it big someday, my books will sell, and soon my dreams will become reality" BUT not take the steps to make it happen [consulting with publishers, advertising, saving $ for the PR]? Positive thinking alone may help you get out of bed every morning & prevent depression, yet it doesn't help me personally if hard work doesn't accompany it. Seems like they're just a bunch of empty words I'm chanting, totally unbelievable
There are these types of people that you either love or hate. I call them the "Think Positives." Now, some of these people are actually okay. In fact, I find most of them that I run across to be great to be around. There is one group of those that I can't stand. These are the religious fundamentalists of the Think Positive movement. These are the types that if you so much as acknowledge a mistake you made, they will jump on you and beat you over your head with canned phrases such as, "You're being too negative!!!" "You are putting yourself down." "It's all in your head."
Excuse me, when did Thinking positive mean that you have to BS yourself?! When did Positive Thinking mean Self delusion?! I just point out a simple fact, and my words get twisted and I get the "Negative" label.
Why don't you guys show me how to become a millionaire by sitting there and thinking "I am a millionaire?!" This doesn't even happen in my dreams. I have a flat (bike) tire. Show me how to inflate it by thinking "My tire is full of air." I've had to buy new tubes and use my pump for full tires.
The sad thing is when you get to know my beliefs and thoughts, you'll actually find me to be a rather optimistic person. I just don't lie to myself when I have a big problem. I've never seen anyone materialize a million bucks in front of them by just thinking about it. I have had some pleasant surprises happen (like hot chick having a crush on me), interestingly enough, it always happened when I was not in the "pie in the sky" thought mode. I was thankful for what I had and working towards positive goals.
What I am trying to say is that positive thinking alone is not going to get you what you want, unless you just want to be happy. If you want to build a family, start a business, etc. then you need to get to work. Sitting there thinking positively is not going to cut it.
Thinking positively is meant more to inspire you to take positive action towards positive results. It is also important to understand that things are not always going to work out the way you want it too. Positive thinking is the best when it is grounded in reality. A real positive person can acknowledge his problems and still find a way to make a positive out of life.
In other words, don't just think positive, be positive.
Show me your positive attitude without works, and I'll show you my positive attitude through my works.
The people who jump all over you for saying anything to what you are actually feeling, whether positive or negative, are invalidating what you are saying. In other words, they take what you say and minimalize it. And if you listen VERY closely and read between the lines, there is actually a lot of negative thinking that actually comes out of their mouths (i.e. entilement syndrome is a very negative common component of those who are ultra positive), or that is shown in their body language (such as raised voices and dialating pupils when someone is going off on their "positive" tangents). There is a lot of hypocrisy there...trust me!
The people who jump all over you for saying anything to what you are actually feeling, whether positive or negative, are invalidating what you are saying. In other words, they take what you say and minimalize it. And if you listen VERY closely and read between the lines, there is actually a lot of negative thinking that actually comes out of their mouths (i.e. entilement syndrome is a very negative common component of those who are ultra positive), or that is shown in their body language (such as raised voices and dialating pupils when someone is going off on their "positive" tangents). There is a lot of hypocrisy there...trust me!
I haven't had a chance to read it, but Barbara Ehrenreich wrote a book about this topic a few years back. One of her points is that by refusing to look at the negative/downside and anticipate those as a possible outcome, "positive" thinkers in the sense your talking about, actually contribute to problems happening. She cites the economic meltdown of 2008 as an example of that. Here's a link to an interview with her:
I have seen her. I do agree with some of what she said. There are other things that she says (in interviews) that I'm not sure where I stand with her. For example, if I had a job where I am paid to make people feel positive, I'd be all over that. LOL!!!
I'd love to have a job where I'm paid to just laugh and smile. (Sometimes I just bust out laughing for apparently no reason)
(Now before I get flamed, I did say that I was actually an optimist in my OP)
But I do like her overall message. Be real. The negative aspects are really not that negative, in most cases.
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), interestingly enough, it always happened when I was not in the "pie in the sky" thought mode. I was thankful for what I had and working towards positive goals. 
