the science of positive thinking

The Science of Positive Thinking

by James Clear

Takeaways

The Facts

• Positive thinking is more than being happy.
• Negative emotions narrow the mind and focus thoughts, which is useful in the wild but not so much in today’s modern society where people need to interact with each other.
• The biggest benefit that positive emotions provide is an enhanced ability to build skills and develop resources for use later in life.

Solution

• Increase positive thinking by participating in meditation, writing, or playing.
• Don’t put off happiness for the sake of success because happiness is what leads to success.
• Take advantage of periods of positive emotion.

Reflection

A major reason I engage in positive thinking is because it’s good for me in every sense of the word. It makes me healthier, more productive, and generally a more well-balanced person. It’s also amazing how much your thought can influence your actions. By just being more outwardly positive, people treat you better and you find yourself with more opportunities.