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One of the easiest things that you can do to position yourself for success is to readjust your thinking. The importance of positive thinking has been well documented by countless authors and I will reiterate it here. Positive thinking will, without a doubt, start you on a journey of unparalleled success. The problem many people face is that not everyone knows how to think positively.
I know that last statement sounds absurd but it is true. You are probably sitting there thinking, "How in the world is it possible that someone wouldn't know how to think positively?" The answer is simple; there is a difference between thinking positively and anti-negative thinking.
Let's take a closer look at that. Many people wish that they were in shape and healthy. The truth is that not many really are and of those people there are probably a handful that really wish that they were. So let's look at these people. They are supposedly doing all the right things; eating right, exercising, sleeping an appropriate amount and they probably have a "positive" focus about what they want: to not be fat, out-of-shape and unhealthy. But are they really being positive? Can we really say that the phrase, "I don't want to be out-of-shape," is the same as, "I want to be in shape"? The plain and simple answer is NO. They are not the same because the focus is on two entirely different things. One is positive and the other is not.
You may have heard statements about the universe being absolute and that is true, but what does it really mean? Well let's bring in a mathematical analogy that may help bring this to light. In math when we talk about the absolute value of a number we are talking about the number without respect to its sign. If we use +7 (positive seven) as an example we know that the absolute value is just 7 (seven). Similarly if we used -7 (negative seven) it produces the same absolute value, 7 (seven). The sign, positive or negative, doesn't matter; the focus is on the number.
The same works for our thinking. In the example above we saw two phrases. The first was an anti-negative phrase, "I don't want to be out-of-shape." Stripping this down to its absolute value and removing the "sign" it is plain to see that focus and energy is on being out-of-shape. Well this isn't at all what that person had intended but by not knowing how to think positively they have kept their focus on the very thing they are trying to escape. The second phrase, the positive phrase, directs the focus to what this individual really wants, being in shape. This person will be successful in accomplishing their goal.
Understanding this concept is paramount when setting your course for success. We will typically attain the things that we focus our attention on so by thinking positively you will actually speed up the process and attain your goals more quickly. You'll be in hyper-drive, per se.
Here are some other examples of common pitfalls that people encounter when "thinking positively":
What they say: "I want to get out of debt."
What they should say: "I want to live a life of abundance."
What they say: "I don't want to get sick."
What they should say: "I want to be healthy."
What they say: "I hate my job and don't want to go to work."
What they should say: "I want to be my own boss and work from home."
What they say: "I hope I don't get a bad grade."
What they should say: "I want to get a good grade."
As you can see in these examples, the ultimate want is the same but the method of arriving there is different. In each example we have one thought that focuses on the positive aspect and one on the negative. Which person do you think will have more success with what they want? You are absolutely correct.
Remember, positive thinking may be the most important (and controllable) step in the ladder to success. Stay positive and don't be anti-negative by mistake.
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