The Hidden Power of Positive Thinking

Today is going to be a great day.

Are you with me?

As I write this, I’ve barely started my day and I can already tell you…it’s going to be a great day. I don’t know what the stock market is going to do. I don’t know what’s going to happen in Washington. I don’t know what’s going to happen overseas. But I’m starting the day believing that I’m going to have a great day.

And you know what?

I believe YOU’RE going to have a great day, too!

Now let me stop for a minute, because not everyone thinks this way. In fact, some people think this kind of thinking is downright irritating. “How can you be so positive all the time?” they say.

Well, let me shoot straight with you…

I don’t have a choice.

I have come too far in my leadership journey to let negative thinking drag me down. I’ll bet you have, too.

See, here’s something too many people don’t realize…

Positive thinking is rocket fuel for the leader’s heart, mind and soul. No leader has ever risen to any level of success or achievement…and stayed there…without being a positive thinker.If you have trouble believing this, look around your office..look around your church…look around your circle of friends. I’ll bet you’ll notice that the people who have experienced the most success…who are the leaders…are the ones who are positive thinkers.

What’s really amazing is that people who are positive thinkers don’t just benefit in their leadership, but they benefit personally as well.

Here are some of the physical benefits of positive thinking:

longer life span
greater resistance to illness
lower risk of heart attack

Why does positive thinking have such a big payoff for your body?

The simple explanation is that positive thinkers are better able to cope with stress…and stress is terrible for the body. So let’s say you want to become a positive thinker. What should you do?

Here are four suggestions:

Take an “inventory” of your current thinking

Notice how you think about the events of your day.

Start in the morning when you wake up and proceed through the day. Take note of any situations you normally find stressful or difficult. How much of your day are you spending finding the negative in situations versus the positive? Can you flip it around so you find more positives?

Work more laughter into your day

I know a lot of you have very serious jobs where you deal with tough matters all of the time. And you probably feel guilty if you’re not 100% serious 100% of the time. But here’s something you need to know…

Humans aren’t built that way.

I’d encourage you to work some laughter into your day… every day. Whether it’s a funny YouTube clip, a podcast, or your favorite TV show, give yourself plenty of chances to laugh.

Get plenty of exercise

If you look at the daily routines of today’s great leaders, top executives and entrepreneurs, nearly all of them start with exercise. I’ll let you in on a little secret that no one ever talks about when it comes to exercise. Most people think exercise is all about losing weight or looking good.

That’s not it. Those are nice benefits, but here’s the real magic sauce when it comes to exercise…

Exercise is an all-natural way to fight stress, depression and anxiety. People who get regular exercise feel more upbeat and less stressed than people who don’t.

Hang around positive thinkers

It’s tough to be a positive thinker if you’re around people who can only see trouble. You’ve got to hang out with people who see the upside…the opportunities…the best in other people…the silver lining. Remember, your future depends on the way you choose to think. Find positive thinkers and hang out with those people.

Listen to the way they talk. Watch how they respond to tough situations. Pay attention when they run into difficult people. As Jim Rohn said: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” With that in mind, spend time with positive thinkers.

Now that we’ve talked about the benefits of positive thinking and how to transform the way you think, let me go back to where we began.

I’m starting today believing that I’m going to have a great day. I think YOU’RE going to have a great day, too.