7 Rules for Positive Thinking Success
To me positive thinking is not just a concept that can be used occasionally or as and when things aren’t looking so rosy, it is instead an entire approach to life.
That doesn’t mean to say that I am running around all day whooping for joy that I am alive or that I have a permanent smile on my face. It does however mean that I am committed to abiding by a certain set of principles that I believe allows me to get the most self-fulfilment and joy that I can out of life.
Here are 7 key principles that I believe are the cornerstones to a happy way of life built around positive thinking:
Know what you always want and why.
Are you really doing something because you have a deep burning desire to do it or are you simply going along with the crowd? There is a huge difference between the two. If you are doing the latter then you are likely to lack any deep sense of motivation and drive which is crucial to success. If however you are true to yourself and follow your passion then your motivation will be strong and never ending which in turn will lead you to achieve your goals.
Knowing that failure is ok!
In fact, failure can be excellent, it may even show that you are getting closer to your goals. It is like a steppingstone on your way to success, a signpost if you like that all is well. From your failures is where your successes are born, not only does it provide you with another opportunity to try again it teaches you what not to do! We’ve all heard the famous story from Thomas Edison that he failed 10,000 times before he finally got the end result, he desired i.e. the invention of the light bulb. I know that when we do not achieve our goals, we may often feel like giving up and that it can feel anything but a step on the road to success, at those times I may take a break from pursuing that thing or just try and take a step back from the situation and to try and see the bigger picture. Simply enjoy the journey, learn from your past experiences, and try again!
Keep a clear head.
Through regular meditation I can prevent my thoughts from cluttering up my mind too much and I am able to maximise my creative ability which is excellent for problem solving and generating new ideas. Meditation gives a great sense of peace, reassurance and a general all-round feeling of good health. An absolute must for any wannabe positive thinker. It is during meditation that I will visualise and affirm my goals.
Give willingly of your time and money to help others,
This is relevant when it relates to a specific area that you are interested in. The Conversations with God series of books is one of my favourite and I have found much truth in its teaching that you should:“Be the source in the life of others of that which you want in your own life.”
In other words, whatever you want, find some way to give it away! Sounds crazy but works. This opens you up to receiving more than what you have given away. If you want to speak fluent Spanish, teach others what you know already. In some weird way through doing that you in turn will improve, maybe it will be through the very teaching of the language itself, or maybe you will meet through your students a fluent Spanish speaker who is willing to teach you for free! Yes, it sounds like an odd example, but the universe has its own way of working which is not always predictable, but work to perfection it will, just give it a chance!
Focussing on the positives and avoiding the fear of failure.
Nothing will kill a goal stone dead faster than the fear of failure. Fear is a very powerful emotion and detracts a lot of energy from you, which could otherwise be directed on something more constructive. When you are constantly worrying about failing it nags away at you at the back of your mind, undermining your confidence, creativity, and focus. To avoid fear set goals that do not risk too much. For example, if you start a business with bank loans knowing that if your business is not successful then you will become bankrupt and lose your house, isn’t that likely to make you worried and scared at the possibility. If so then it will likely come to fruition as, as the saying goes: “Where attention goes, energy flows” and losing your house is not where you want it to be! I’m not saying don’t aim high or take risks but do so in a way that you feel comfortable with, otherwise you are shooting yourself in the foot before the race has even started.
Follow your nose.
Sorry, I couldn’t find a better way of putting this! But seriously when you are seeing the opportunities in even bad situations and focussing on the positives then they inevitably open doorways for you, you need to go through these and make the most of them. It is highly likely that they will very soon lead to more opportunities surrounding what you are looking for and once more you need to be prepared to act fast and pursue this. By acting in this way you will be creating what I like to think of as a spiral of positivity whereby things are just getting better and better with situations constantly feeding off each other, improving, getting better and leading you ever further forwards.
Improve yourself.
You are perfect….and you are not! Yes, the human body is an incredible thing made with such extraordinary precision as to defy belief, yet at the same time it is up to you to keep improving your knowledge and skills through education and personal development so that you can do yet more with your life and feel even more self-fulfilled and happy. Don’t allow yourself to stagnate constantly seek out new ways to push yourself and improve. Doing so can provide a lifetime of happiness!
So, there you have it, the pretty much some up my ‘positive thinking approach’ to life, as you can see, I believe there is a bit more to it than just the old: “is the cup half full or half empty” conundrum. Of course, you may have your own ideas about how to live a positive life which are completely different to mine and that is fine. Find what works for you and stick with it. I hope you enjoyed the read and feel free to add your own in the comment box…
