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The Evolving Nature of Positive Thinking
Is positive thinking positive or is it negative? That is, is it
helpful or harmful? Judging by the titles of some books and the
headlines of some newspaper and magazine articles, I can easily see
how people could become confused. For example, one book is entitled,
Illuminate: Harnessing the Positive Power of Negative Thinking.
The author’s thesis is don’t run from, supress, or hide
problems, shine light on them; face them! But isn’t that what
positive thinkers do? The author explains what he means by
illuminate: “It’s about seeing negative issues in a
positive light.” Isn’t that a definition of positive thinking?
It may be interesting to see how a theory that “positive thinking is
bad for you” develops, spreads, and mutates. An article in the May
2011 issue of Scientific American plants seeds of doubt with this
title,
Can Positive Thinking Be Negative? And the July 4, 2009
issue of
The Times (London, England) boldly proclaims,
Positive thinking has a negative side, scientists find. Repeating
positive phrases may backfire when used by the very people who are
in need of them the most, a study suggests. Finally, a
well written article on Facebook announces,
The peril of positive thinking – why positive messages hurt people
with low self-esteem.
The three articles were all based on the research of Professor
Joanne Wood, which is described in
The Times’ article as follows:
“Researchers (Professor Wood`s team) sought to assess how positive
thinking affected people with varying levels of self-confidence.
They questioned dozens of men and women, measured their self-esteem
using the standard psychological methods and then asked them to
write down their thoughts and feelings.
“In the middle of the exercise, some were assigned to tell
themselves: ‘I am a loveable person’ every time a bell was rung.
After the exercise, they were asked a series of further questions to
measure their self-worth and optimism. The scoring system ranged
from 0 to 35.
“The confidence of those with high self-esteem appeared to have been
boosted further by repeating the phrase. They scored an average of
31 compared with an average of 25 for those with equally high
self-esteem who did not.
“Those with low self-esteem who repeated the statement scored a
dismal average of 10. Their peers with equally low self-esteem who
were not asked to do so managed a rather more chirpy average of 17.
“The findings were published in this year’s (2009) Psychological
Science journal.
“Joanne Wood, Professor of Psychology at the University of Waterloo
in Ontario, Canada, and an author of the report, said it seemed that
repeating positive statements worked only if it reinforced what the
person already believed. “It appears that positive self-statements,
despite their widespread endorsement, may backfire for the very
people who need them the most,” she said.
“I think that what happens is that when a low-self-esteem person
repeats positive thoughts, all they do is contradict what is there
already. So if they’re saying, ‘I’m a loveable person’, they might
then think, ‘Well, I’m not always loveable’ or ‘I’m not loveable in
this way’. Then these contradictory thoughts may overwhelm the
positive thoughts.”
“Professor Wood said that positive thinking might be effective when
it is used as part of a broader programme of therapy. ‘But on its
own it tends to have the reverse effect of what it is supposed to
do.’
Recapping, we have been told that positive thinking can be harmful
by three different sources merely because Professor Wood did a
small test of
a single
affirmation,
that wasn’t worded for effectiveness, and which was
practiced for
an extremely short period. How does this small test lead
Professor Wood to conclude, “…positive thinking might be effective
when it is used as part of a broader programme of therapy. But on
its own it tends to have the reverse effect of what it is supposed
to do.”? But my purpose here is not to find fault with Professor
Wood, but to point out how stories about possible ‘harmful’ effects
of positive thinking develop and flourish. Some authors rail against
‘positive thinking,’ but in the process they completely change the
meaning of the subject they argue against.
So, what is positive thinking? Although it can be traced back to
ancient times, we have Dr. Norman Vincent Peale to thank for
revitalizing it and burning it into our psyche with his landmark
book
The Power of Positive Thinking, which was first
published in 1952. But the question remains, what is it? It’s based
on a simple premise; mainly,
we create our lives with our thoughts, (which is a
teaching of Buddha as well). In other words, if I spend most of my
time harbouring negative thoughts, I will have negative experiences
and an unhappy life. On the other hand, if I ‘accentuate the
positive,’ ‘walk on the sunny side of the street,’ and look on the
bright side, I will enjoy life.
Positive thinking is pragmatic because it works, and negative
thinking is illogical because it is self-defeating. It is also
helpful to think of positive thinking as any type of thinking that
empowers us, makes us stronger, more capable, and better able to
cope with and enjoy the adventure of life For this reason, I like to
think of positive thinking as expansive and ever growing.
Who gets more done and enjoys life more, the pessimist or the
optimist? Hope in the future, faith in ourselves, and enthusiasm
about life empower us. Cynicism, doubt in ourselves, and despair
about the future dampen, if not crush, our spirit. Isn’t that reason
enough to choose to be a positive thinker?
Let’s now consider how positive thinking is possibly expanding. In
his 1967 book,
New Think:
The Use of Lateral Thinking,
Edward de Bono coined the phrase
Lateral Thinking, which deals with out-of-the-box,
creative, or problem solving thinking. What has this got to do with
positive thinking? Well, coping and dealing with life’s challenges
requires creative and solution oriented thinking doesn’t it? Can you
be a positive thinker without knowing how to solve life’s problems?
I think not. Therefore, I see Edward de Bono as a contributor to
positive thinking.
In 1973, Robert H. Schuller — who was mentored by Dr. Norman Vincent
Peale — released his book
Move Ahead with Possibility Thinking.
In it, he expanded our horizon, urging us to go beyond the obvious
and explore the infinite possibilities that await those who seek
them. How do we know what new things are possible? Easy, think of
the impossible. For if you can think it, you can bring it about. All
great inventors are inspired by ‘what cannot be done,’ and have
little interest in what can be done. Why should you and I act any
differently? And if we are positive thinkers, how can we not act in
that way?
A little over 20 years ago, Rosalene Glickman, Ph.D. introduced us
to
Optimal Thinking.
She added a helpful tack to positive thinking by suggesting that
rather than merely trying to be
better and achieve
more, why not aim for being the
best and achieving the
most possible.
And in 1997 Jerry L Fletcher and Kelle Olwyler challenged our
thinking even further with their delightful book
Paradoxical Thinking: How to Profit from Your Contradictions.
To take a good look inside the book,
click here.
Then, in 2003, James Mapes consolidated many of the great ideas of
seekers of sound thinking. Striving to take a quantum leap forward,
he aptly named his book,
Quantum Leap Thinking: An Owner's Guide to the Mind.
Sprinkled throughout the book are quotations, tips, lists, callouts
(boxed text), and QLT (Quantum Leap Thinking) Theorems. I’ll share
some of the many theorems here.
QLT THEOREMS
If you think the way you have always thought and do what you have
always done, you will get the results you have always gotten.
Many of you will already be familiar with this maxim, which is
widely quoted in the self-improvement field, but it is well worth
repeating.
Turning judgment into curiosity opens the channel for learning.
We will never know how much we failed to learn because we were too
busy judging others instead of being curious enough to learn from
them.
Hint: whenever we strongly disagree with what we hear,
it is a signal that there is more for us to learn; so, at such a
time, it would be wise for us to listen with an open mind and
actively try to learn something new.
If you can’t see the possibility, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t
exist.
This bit of wisdom was well understood by Robert H. Schuller, which
explains why he taught us to be constantly on the alert for and to
seek out new possibilities.
Assumptions are the death of possibility.
This is clear enough, making further comments unnecessary.
If you believe something is impossible, you have before you a
signpost to the possible.
This is similar to my earlier comment that if you wish to learn what
new things you can accomplish, think of what is ‘impossible.’
Change creates the threat of loss and the threat of loss creates
resistance.
This is important to understand, for it prepares you for the
resistance you will feel whenever you try to change.
Change can occur only after the pain of realizing that current
behaviour can no longer be tolerated.
This is why addicts may be unable to change until they hit
rock-bottom.
In order to create change, you must be consciously aware that pain
is often a signal for change.
It is wise advice to heed the signals of our bodily sensations and
emotions, for they tell us when and how to act (if we listen).
Once a choice is made, all other possibilities cease to exist.
You can’t change horses in the middle of the stream, so think before
you make your decision.
What you believe determines what you pay attention to.
And what we pay attention to determines what we do and what happens
to us. If we are unhappy with what is happening to us, it signals
that we need to change our beliefs, thoughts, and subsequent
actions.
You choose your thoughts moment to moment. Awareness of your power
to choose gives you the freedom to choose anew.
We all recognize the adage “use it or lose it,” but we won’t begin
using our power until we become aware of it.
Commitment makes the invisible visible.
We cannot overstate the importance of commitment (the decision to do
whatever it takes to succeed).
Sometimes taking a risk involves change. Sometimes taking a risk
means committing to remain in your present circumstance.
Wise advice. Enough said.
As we have seen, positive thinking evolves along with our
understanding of the power of thought and the mind. Let’s not be
satisfied with merely being positive, rather let’s embrace the
promise of hidden possibilities and awaken to the exuberance of
life’s adventurers. I choose to call the thinking that guides me
positive thinking. You may choose to call it by another name. No
matter. Whatever we call it, let’s join forces and try to make our
planet better because of us. |
