How very elementary. *yawn*

Note from Chris: I allowed this obvious troll because I found it so funny – How does someone with a name like “IQ” totally miss the point of the article? LOL

I have to say that positive thinking does work, the thing that most people forget is the action part of it. Thinking of what you want and believing that you will get it should make you work harder to get it and in doing so will of course end up with you getting it.

On the other hand if the people who say it doesn’t work have just been staring at pretty pictures of nice cars and houses without taking action they will get nowhere.

I can’t remember where I saw it but it was about positive thinking saying if you put a glass of water on a table and believe and wish for a drink it will never happen. It is the action of picking up the glass that will get you the water.

Focus on what you want and go for it.

James

@Michael – Exactly, and when you think of people like Steve Jobs, they are often criticized for their arrogance but I think we can all do with a little of their self belief

@Eric – Interesting link, thanks

@Jennifer – It does take work but worthwhile I think, even if we can’t be happy all the time, we can be more concious about how we are programming ourselves

@Diane – Well I would be going against my own advice if I suggested just asking was enough, what are you going to do towards manifesting?

@Cristian – Nice quote

@John – Action serves a bigger purpose than just doing stuff, it is a feedback mechanism to our programming that you have made a decision towards the thing you were thinking about. Once you make *decisive* action things tend to click into place naturally.

@RoX – Yup, sitting in bed dreaming just gives you bed sores

@Dave – Well it has raised to the crazy expensive price of … $10

@Francisco – I sadly found out recently that “God helps those who help themselves” was actually a quote from Ben Franklin, not the Bible. True story. I think it is a shame because that quote matches my experience.

@Jan – I agree. Paul McKenna has this concept of a “financial thermostat” and if you set yours too low you will never reach the potential that you are capable of – people sabotage their own efforts rather than escape that comfort zone.

@Jay – Yup, Dr Richard Wiseman has a great book about that, essentially by being more open and optimistic you can improve your own luck – at least scientific PHD type doctor guy says so convincingly

@Howard – Nicely put

@Yusuf – Thanks

@David – I would say life is a magnifying mirror like those you get at the fairground

@Juanita – Thanks I will check it out

@Jaszy – Glad to help

@Jan – If you enjoy your work it stops being work

@Rahman – Dreams are great, but only expect ambitions that you act on to become a reality

@Yan – Exactly. Some stuff has happened to me that seems a gift from up above, but when you really look at it, everything that came before paved the way so I was prepared to take the opportunity when it came.

@Donloree – Shhh, I am still hoping to dream this belly away

@Mel – Sometimes you have to take a small action just to understand the challenge better, it’s not always clear what the whole journey will look like before you begin.

@regina – Thanks

@Melinda – I have been interested in NLP for a while and keep promising myself to go on a proper course. Funnily enough it is my fear of what I might unearth that puts me off Perhaps I can make time this year.

@Ev – Will check out that link, thanks

@Suzanne – Will check out your posts now

@Paul – Thanks

@Brenda – Doing, even if it doesn’t work, at least teaches something new

@Jay – Sounds like a great book, I will hunt ebay

@Suzannah – Difficult challenges wouldn’t be difficult if we knew exactly how to solve them would they?

@Flora – yeah, just like a computer, your brain doesn’t care how it is programmed, it just does as it is told

@Lee – The universe is wild, and stuff has happened in my experience that I couldn’t explain.

@Jonathan – Action is what makes things happen, but the better prepared you are the better your results

@Kate – You can be scared without being miserable – I scare myself on theme park rides, snowboarding, supercars, and public speaking for example

@Beat – Will check out the link, thanks

@Kim – Yes I think if people are inspired and then take positive steps they will be happier.

@Massimo – We all have to start somewhere and play the cards we are dealt, it just seems some people want to find a way to cheat at the game rather than work

@Mary – Thanks

@JeppeKM – Reality can also be wonderful if we are willing to face it

@Kristen – It seems that some people feel entitled and so it makes sense that they just have to sit and wait for the riches to come. The pot of gold could be just round the corner but if they don’t start walking they will never find it

@Jacinta – Over the years I have drawn sketches of the scenarios I wanted to come to fruition and some of them have been scarily accurate. Scott Adams would write his out in a journal. The reason I think it works is it forces you to decide the *details* of what your goal is. With specifity your ambition is more serious and decisive, even if the outcome is not exact, the intention is more real.

@Elli – Yup, eat the elephant one bite at a time and it suddenly seems more “doable”

@Charlie – OK, you have convinced me. Instead of a Bugatti I want an Aston Martin.

@Vic – Yes true, consistency is important.

@Caryl – My wife has tried EFT classes and she found it very interesting.

@Dave – There is a difference between surpressing and not dwelling. It is natural and human to have less than positive thoughts. We all go through bad patches. Read elsewhere on this blog to get some ideas of what ours have been. The point I make in this article is that you can choose to keep chewing over the negative or you can aim to recognise those thoughts and what they mean, then guide your thinking towards good stuff, what you do want, what you are grateful for, what makes you happy.

@David – Yup, the brain can use its own “virtual reality” to train, but the sportsman still has to take this training to the field

@Tomas – Agreed, and you might be wanting something that goes against your values, which would cause conflict in programming.

@Jose – And thank you for reading it

@DynamoAsh – I like that quote, sums it up nicely

@chuck – Ah yes, if you can enjoy the journey it doesn’t really matter where you end up

The guys at the triumphantevetns put it nicely:
Think it, ink it, do it, review it

* Mindset (as mentioned above)
* Training (daily learning and practice)
* Action (because theory is not enough, you have to take steps rather than just think about it)

“Pretty simple really, and I am positive that if you follow that you will get more of the results that you are wanting”

Actually, every successful person already knows and practices the above but you presented that truth again in a fresh way in your post. A reminder for those who believe that visualization alone would do the trick.

Thanks Chris for this interesting post.

Jose

What a discussion this post has started! Awesome!

I thought about this a ton as well. I came to very similar conclusions just as you did.

Our brains cannot tell the difference between good or bad or anything. It just recognizes data. Essentially, we can program ourselves to be as we want us to be!

But without action it does not work! It’s pretty simple, just like you said.

Somewhat.

Here’s what else needs to happen:

You need to know why you are doing what you are doing
You need to know yourself and your life purpose to find the right things to do
You must know your own values and what drives you before applying positive thinking

Why? It gives you a context for your actions and you are not left blindly following things that everybody else wants. If who you are does not support what you want then no matter how hard you try, your desires will not manifest.

Best,
Tomas

I’m a coach and I can’t stand the idea that “If I think it, it will come!” One of the other comments touched on this. Part of what makes visualization or mental rehearsal effective is the permission to believe you are capable of that action. Elite athletes and other successful people give themselves permission to be capable. This is not woo-hoo stuff or New Age-y at all.I often suggest to my clients to give themselves permission to do one thing. Then another step. Eventually you are doing what you previously imagined!

Definite food for thought!

I do agree with the law of attraction and I do agree with our mind set playing a big part in our future and what we attract.

And yes action is important as well, however I think this is where a lot of people don’t know where to begin. I have met so many people that say the positive stuff and yet hey are still in the same place they were 10 years ago!

I do believe some people may need help in really reprogramming their brains. It is OK to say it all, but they really need to believe it!

I do believe that goal setting can also help us achieve and change our momentum. Not just writing the goals on a piece of paper and putting it in the draw. Actually writing the goal down and placing it on a wall you see every day so you read it every day. Another trick I like is creating a visualization board. Actually cut out pictures of what your desire to attract, the words the images the feelings. These boards work, especially if you look at the pictures everyday.

Thank you for the food for thought.

Kind Regards

Jacinta

We have have dedicated our lives to researching, understanding and developing the human potential. The moment misc. “gurus” attempted to metaphysisize sound principles and actionable knowledge about how to bring about successful outcomes, men and women of all backgrounds either came out as (coincidentally) successful, OR unsuccessful; not on reality’s terms, but according to “secretive and universal Laws”… (as claimed by the referenced “gurus”).

The negative side of expecting positive thinking, visualization and affirmations ALONE to bring material and other types of ’success’ to fruition, is obvious. Metaphorically speaking; people want milk, and sit down on their butts in the meadows waiting for a cow to back up! When neither cows nor milk show up, they blame themselves (and are BEING blamed at times) – for not ’sending out the right thoughts’, etc. As you so elegantly point out; positive thinking married with positive/proactive action cause a new awareness and reality, allowing us to bring about successful outcomes, again – on reality’s terms!

Thoughts cause feelings; which lead to actions (or lack thereof)… Limiting beliefs are learned patterns. They can (luckily) be RE-learned and applied in a more sound framework. Within this framework, success comes as a result of the integration of self-efficacy, optimism, positive thinking, as well as self-control; AND willingness to put in the work/training that makes for predictable living; and predictable, positive outcomes!

This is a quantum leap from the over-simplified, ‘metaphysisized’ do-nothing (but asking/sending thoughts to the universe) get-anything approach to success. As Therapists & Mentors, we also provide support to 100s of human ’shipwrecks’, whom mostly ended where they are due to misconstrued “Laws” fueling the disastrous misconception that there’s a Success Autopilot available for individuals, SOLELY based on positive thinking/correct visualization and powerful affirmations – WITHOUT responsible action in line with such critical precursors for success. Your clarifying and simple helicopter perspectives are called for, and golden nuggets in a time bombarded by “quick fixes” that cause more harm than good. Keep up the good work, Chris! You’re a gem among blogosphere flagship content providers!

Warmest, Kristen L. Skogrand

Positive outcome can be planned and it’s more likely to be successful if working in partnership of somebody else who keeps you accountable about your actions, keeps you motivated when you are down and share your joy when you succeed. Some times a friend or a relative can help but when that fails a professional coach will help you exactly in that.

i think what “the secret” is actually pointing out is that when you always visualize your wants and you’ll feel like you’re already getting it. Even if it is not visible or true, you can actually feel it already.