Positive Thinking

I have been thinking a bit lately of how we use positive thinking in an approach to goals or problems. More to the point, I have been giving some thought to the opposite, how many people use avoidance a technique. It tends to work poorly.

What I mean by avoidance is to try and fix or avoid issues as a method of reaching a goal. I hear a lot of athletes and people talk of how they want to not do this or not have this happen in a race. I always have felt this is tantamount to using the mtn biking method of don't hit the rock. Inevitably, we hit the rock.

There is a better way to look at things. Instead of trying to avoid an pitfall, go get the other outcome. I listen to people talk about avoiding depression or avoiding mechanicals or avoiding a bonk. How about we go achieve happiness or ride smooth or eat and fuel well. By nature those things will keep us from the problems. The idea of avoiding something means that there is a possibility that it will happen. Eliminate that and move toward a successful solution.

Simple? yes. Overly so? Maybe, but the point is how we approach a solution makes all the difference in the world. For a good book on the subject of how perception changes outcome, read Stumbling Into Happiness