Positive Thinking

Positive Thinking and Effective Time Investment

Can people with positive thinking invest their time better than others? The simple answer is: Yes. Positive thinking is a beneficial approach to self-management. "Vera Peiffer" defines it as utilizing the subconscious mind in positive ways, while "Stephen Covey" sees it as thinking in a way that ensures a win-win outcome.

Studies indicate that a person talks to themselves daily with over 5000 words, more than 80% of which have a negative tone, such as anxiety, hesitation, and fear. This negatively impacts time investment. Therefore, the more positive our thinking, the more effectively we use our time on both personal and social levels, because we:

• Maintain a positive mental state.
• Help others maintain a positive mood, making it easier to reach solutions quickly.
• Make more objective and insightful decisions.
• Reduce negative thinking, which consumes a lot of time and energy.

Types of Human Interaction

In his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey asserts that "win-win thinking" is not just a technique but a complete philosophy of human interaction. There are six main perspectives on this interaction:

1. Win for me, loss for others: Based on exploiting others to achieve personal gains, commonly found in competitive environments.
2. Loss for me, win for others: Characterized by submission and continuous self-sacrifice.
3. Loss for me, loss for others: Driven by stubbornness and revenge, leading to mutual loss.
4. Win for oneself only: Focuses on achieving personal goals without regard for others.
5. Win for me, win for others: Promotes cooperation and mutual success.
6. Win for me, win for others, and win for society or no deal: Ensures benefits for all while considering the well-being of society as a whole.

A Positive Mindset in Facing Problems

When facing a problem, it is better to focus on solutions rather than analyzing the past. People who adopt positive thinking tend to ask about the measures that can prevent the problem from recurring in the future. Acknowledging mistakes also saves a lot of time and effort wasted on justifications.

Instead of complaining or blaming others, a positive approach involves:

• Seeking creative solutions.
• Taking responsibility.
• Making conscious decisions that contribute to improving reality.
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Fundamentals of Positive Thinking

There are two fundamental principles that guide positive thinking:

1. Anything possible for anyone in the world is also possible for me, with God's will.
2. There is no failure, only experiences and results to learn from.

If we agree on the immense power of our minds and the importance of using the right thinking methods, then positive thinking becomes a powerful tool to guide our lives and achieve success efficiently and effectively.

Creative Thinking in Facing Challenges

When we encounter a problem, we must think in new and innovative ways. For example, if we are looking for a project that requires a large amount of capital, simply repeating phrases like "I wish..." or "If only..." will not lead to any solutions. The right approach is to adopt a completely different way of thinking, search for creative solutions, and ask questions such as: How can I find a solution to this problem? When we start asking the right questions, the answers often come naturally.

In contrast to positive and creative thinking, there is negative thinking, which manifests in boredom, complaining, and frustration, leading to a significant waste of time without achieving any real benefit.

It is said that a young man was studying under his mentor, but due to financial hardship, he had to stop his education and travel in search of livelihood. While on his journey, he saw a weak, disabled bird lying on the ground, unable to fly. He felt sad for it and wondered, Who feeds it? Who takes care of it? As he was thinking, a strong bird landed nearby and fed the weak one. The young man then thought to himself: If this helpless bird finds someone to feed it, why should I worry about my livelihood? So, he returned to his city and decided to continue his education.

The next day, he shared his story with his mentor, who asked him a critical question: My son, how did you choose to be the helpless bird instead of thinking about becoming the strong one?

Many people think negatively, which can lead to:

• Feelings of frustration and pessimism.
• Inability to face problems effectively.
• Blaming others instead of seeking solutions.
• Missing out on many opportunities in life.

Therefore, it is essential to adopt positive and creative thinking to overcome challenges and achieve success.

While positive thinking can lead you to:

• Decide how you want to feel.
• Have many choices.
• Take responsibility.
• Move in the direction you truly desire.

Positive thinking is guided by two fundamental principles:

• If something is possible for anyone in the world, it is possible for me, with God's will.
• There is no failure, only experiences and results.