Quotes on Optimism from The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
"Avoid argument, but whenever a negative attitude is expressed, counter with a positive and optimistic opinion."
“A man who is self-reliant, positive, optimistic, and undertakes his work with the assurance of success magnetises his condition. He draws to himself the creative powers of the universe.”
"If your eyes are looking down in the mud and you feel a sense of failure, you will create defeat for yourself. Optimistic visualisation combined with prayer and faith will inevitably actualise achievement."
"It is indeed a fact that the person who thinks with positive self-reliance and optimism does magnetise his condition and releases power to attain his goal. So expect the best at all times."
"A second method for drawing upon that Higher Power is to learn to take a positive, optimistic attitude towards every problem. In direct proportion to the intensity of the faith which you muster will you receive power to meet your situations. “According to your faith be it unto you,” (Matthew ix. 29.) is a basic law of successful living."
"Mark every passage in the Bible that speaks of faith, hope, happiness, glory, radiance. Commit each to memory. Say them over and over again until these creative thoughts saturate your subconscious mind. Then the subconscious will return to you what you have given it, namely, optimism, not worry."
"Dr. Karl Menninger said: “Attitudes are more important than facts.” That is worth repeating until its truth grips you. Any fact facing us, however difficult, even seemingly hopeless, is not so important as our attitude towards that fact. How you think about a fact may defeat you before you ever do anything about it. You may permit a fact to overwhelm you mentally before you start to deal with it actually. On the other hand, a confident and optimistic thought pattern can modify or overcome the fact altogether."
Following are seven practical steps for changing your mental attitudes from negative to positive, for releasing creative new thoughts, and for shifting from error patterns to truth patterns. Try them—keep on trying them. They will work.
How to Break the Worry Habit
"Another effective technique in developing a peaceful mind is the daily practice of silence. Everyone should insist upon not less than a quarter of an hour of absolute quiet every twenty-four hours. Go alone into the quietest place available to you and sit or lie down for fifteen minutes and practise the art of silence. Do not talk to anyone. Do not write. Do not read. Think as little as possible. Throw your mind into neutral. Conceive of your mind as quiescent, inactive."
Following are ten simple, workable rules for overcoming inadequacy attitudes and learning to practise faith. Thousands have used these rules, reporting successful results. Undertake this programme and you, too, will build up confidence in your powers. You, too, will have a new feeling of power.
"I certainly do not ignore or minimize the hardships and tragedies of the world, but neither do I allow them to dominate."