1st Health Articles

Along with a general, positive attitude, positive thinking can create success. Positive thinking is a skill. The habits, practices and methods of positive thinking are simple to describe. The challenge is to apply the persistence and repetition necessary to build them into a powerful mind that controls itself.

Positive thinking has a clear target or goal in mind. Unlike a vague, general “positive attitude”, positive thinking focuses on an end result. The choice of a goal or target for your result is very important. The goal needs to be big, exciting and a challenge. The more you are excited and challenged by your goal, the more power you create to reach it. Small goals and puny visions do not create the necessary emotional drive that a big goal calls for. Emotions like excitement, enthusiasm and desire will drive you to your goal.

Positive thinking is also flexible. As you approach your goal, you may see an even better way to reach it. Having a flexible attitude means you can change course and get to your goal even faster by modifying or revising your vision. Just as a ship upon the sea makes regular course corrections during its journey, you will need to adjust and redirect yourself along the way to your end result. Never give up your major purpose, but always correct your means of getting there as you approach the end.

Positive thinking makes use of good habits. Repeated visualization of your goals and ideas creates a habit of mind that propels you toward them. Making a habit of persisting in the effort it takes to reach your goal means you will no longer depend on “feeling like” doing the work. You will do the work, regardless of your feelings, because you have built good work habits. The work itself will begin to produce good feelings and positive benefits, like a feeling of accomplishment as you complete all the steps in your plan.

Positive thinking masters negative thinking. While you can have many good reasons for doubt, fear, apprehension and disbelief about reaching your goal, you must learn to shut them out. Just because a negative thought arises does not mean you must allow it to move in and live in your mind, without even paying rent! Evict all your negative thoughts by either shutting them off or removing the reason they occurred. Make your environment “positive thinking” friendly by removing or reducing all the negative aspects in your life that you can control.