13, How Does Positive Thinking Work?

The title ‘How does positive thinking work?’ may appear to be a loaded question because it has an underlying assumption that positive thinking works! I am aware that this is a debatable question. 

Some will assert that positive thinking works and some others will assert the opposite. Both the assertions could be right because there will be real life examples of positive thinking working and of not working. 

So, the inevitable conclusion could be that positive thinking works at least sometimes. So, let us try to understand how positive thinking works, when it does. It may look illogical to suggest that a person can influence events by the way he thinks. 

There are people who possess extraordinary capabilities and they will be able to influence others using the power of these capabilities. But how can an average person influence events and people through positive thinking?

The answer to this question is in two parts. One, a person who thinks positively will be able to motivate himself to perform better.. One can dwell at length on the physiological and psychological changes that a person who thinks positively will experience. 

But let me be brief. When you think positively, you feel more confident, more enthusiastic and more energetic. These positive changes in the personality, attitude and behavior by itself will make that person more effective, more productive and more successful.

Secondly, a person who thinks positively will invariably pass on his positive energy to other people and the environment. 

One example you can easily relate to is the way a cheerful person lights up the atmosphere in a gathering. He or she will instantly raise the spirits of many people just by his cheerful disposition and demeanor. 

You might have experienced this even by observing a cheerful person making smiles appear on the faces of many people assembled in a place. Even if you are not part of the gathering but are just observing him from a distance, you will experience a pleasant feeling, at least slightly.

Just as a cheerful attitude can spread cheer around, so will positive thinking will generate positive feelings in others and in the environment thus making it easier for the person to achieve successful results.