Norman Vincent Peale The Power of Positive Thinking

[Bryan Hutchinson]

I have started this group for us to talk about books which have helped us and might help others.

Since Norman Vincent Peale's "The Power of Positive Thinking" is the book which got me started, I have decided this will be the first book I talk about and would like to share with others.

Although NVP's principles are based on faith in God, one must not be religious to benefit from his book. I think the opening sentence says it best: "Believe in yourself!" and goes on to say "Have faith in your abilities! Without humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy." I believe this to be true for all of us, especially with any kind of LD, such as ADHD.

When I read this book I was forced to look in the mirror and see the tribulations and conflict my very own thinking was causing me. NVP gives sound advice and clear suggestions for self-improvement. Needless to say it had a profound effect on me and I still hold the teachings in the highest regard.

Have you read it? Did it help you? What parts meant the most to you?

[Shane]

The books that helped me the most are not necessarily self help books. The books I read are mostly philosophical in nature and science books. Books like Frederich Nietzsche, The Genealogy of Morals and Charles Darwin The Origin of Species and The Descent of Man. I read more contemporary science books as well. Authors like Stephen Jay Gould, The Structure of Evolutionary Theory, Ian Tattersal, The Fossil Trail, and Robert Broom, Getting Here. I also like reading about what our great American forefathers had to say so I read the memoirs of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. When I want something a little more lighter I like to read science fiction. Two of my most favorite books are Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451, and Philip K Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric sheep.

Because my self perception has always been poor I felt the need to expand upon my breadth of knowledge. When I started reading philosophical books like The Genealogy of Morals and The Art of War, my world view evolved a lot. My personal library was expanding and I felt the uncontrollable need to discover what my place in this world was. Who are we? Why are we the only sentient species inhabiting this third rock from the sun? What is our purpose in life? What is life all about?

How has my reading habits enhanced my life? I am getting to that. If you read this far please read on a little more and bare with me. I promise I'll answer the question.

I wanted to become more intelligent because I drastically needed to build upon my self image. However at this point in my life the quest that I had embarked upon ended at an impasse. I arrived at an intellectual fork in the road. One road would yield more knowledge and education and not answer the more interesting questions I had. The other road would attempt to offer explanations that I needed, however these solutions were purely speculative, hypothetical, and in no way based in real science or research.

So I decided that the questions I needed answered may be found metaphysical philosophy. Siddhartha, the founding father of modern day Buddhism said a lot of very fascinating things. He taught the Eight Fold Path and the Four Noble Truths. Learning the philosophy of the Buddha offered me a way of thinking, and more importantly a way of life. Buddha espoused that all of us, everything in this world, and even our galaxy is transitory. Because all sentient beings and all things have a temporary nature of life, it is imperative that their time be spent maximizing their existence. Simply stated, this is the only life we're ever going to have, so you better make the best of it.

Buddhism enriched my life and gave me purpose. Becoming a pupil of the Buddha offered solutions to all of those very interesting questions that we all have. My purpose in life is to be the best me that I can possibly be. I learned that practicing acts of compassion we not only help those we're assisting we ultimately end up enriching our own lives. Mankind should not be charitable towards our fellow man for promises of rewards, instead men and women should assist one another for goodness sake alone. That act of kindness would then leave the benefactor free of debt and allow them to have the capacity to repeat the same process to those who are in need as well.

So those are my reading habits, that is what I learned, and that is how my life is enriched by my reading habits. I learned that by becoming an adherent of the philosophy of the Buddha, my real knowledge and ultimately education was acquired by becoming compassionate.

I am not trying to hijack your forum, or make this into a discussion of Buddhism or religion. I just assumed that my response could fit into this discussion your conversing about. I am hoping that it is constructive.


Shane
Seattle WA.

[Bryan Hutchinson]

That's a wonderful post Shane. May I make a suggestion? In this group create a new discussion and copy this into the new discussion. That way this post will stand on its own and members can reply to the specific articles. Your not hijacking anything, this is exactly what the group is for. Thanks Shane... valuable input.... Bryan

[Joan Hutchinson]

Hi Shane,
"...practicing acts of compassion we not only help those we're assisting we ultimately end up enriching our own lives. Mankind should not be charitable towards our fellow man for promises of rewards, instead men and women should assist one another for goodness sake alone. That act of kindness would then leave the benefactor free of debt and allow them to have the capacity to repeat the same process to those who are in need as well."

Absolutely beautiful tenets by which to live. Respect!

I agree with this philosophy as a way of life, (although my beliefs came from my Quaker upbringing)...traveling a different path toward a similar nirvana.
Every day I do something kind for the people I care about as well as strangers, with no desire or expectation for a reward. Of course this freaks people out, when you do nice things just for the sake of doing it. When people try to pay me or give me something for doing them an unexpected kindness..I only accept that they consider "paying" the kindness forward to someone else.

You might enjoy reading "Scientific American Mind"--It has many wonderful, well written articles about how we think, what motivates us, and our origin as a species.

Joan

[Joan Hutchinson]

The Power of Positive Thinking is a sensational, timeless book for anyone who wants to feel full of renewed hope and faith in themselves and others. Peale's writing style is very warm and conversational...not preachy. His book is passionate collection of personal antecdotes, which generally convey that we as individuals have the power to change the world around us, simply by changing the way we think and react to the seemingly negative things around us. Positive action=positive reaction. His inspiring book did not change me overnight..instead it continues to change me everyday in the way I choose to respond to situations and others in a more enlightened, positive way. Joan

[Devin Mackey]

This was one of my first positive thinking books to read as a teenager. Awesome, I gained alot of insight from it. One of the most recent books I have started is Steven Coveys' 'Seven Habits of Highly Successful People'. Awesome book. Draws a line between the first 150 years of Americas idea and teachings being of character changes, intrinsic, versus the last 50 or so years moving toward outward change. He hits on principles, that when taken in and made a part of us reflect our every decision. It separates the " why do we care about what he or she does in their private life as long as they can run the country or do the job" so to speak, from the person that is transparent, built on character with integrity, that they are the same in private as public. Pretty good book.

[Joan Brennan]

Bryan,
Many thanks for the invitation to join this group!

The Power of Positive Thinking is THE book of books in the area of self-help. It is truly genuine and the ultimate in providing tips, strategies and support for improving one's life in a big way. Today, my husband and I co-hosted a wellness conference in our local community. As part of the packet/folder of literature that was given to each attendee, an abridged version of this book by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale was included. It is pocket/purse sized and can be ordered from the Foundation for Christian Living. It is an especially helpful booklet for ADDers because of its size and brevity. Everyone should have their own copy. A donation usually applies or is requested by the organization.

[DANA]

Many years ago, I had read the book "The Power of Positive Thinking" and I loved it! Very helpful, inspirational and motivational!