Before I start blabbering on this topic, let me assure you that I have been both a benefeciary of positive thoughts and also a victim of negativity. So I do believe in this concept, although at first I used to dismiss it as BS. First of all here is my story.
In the year 1990 when I started my own business, I did not bother to think about what situation I would have to face in the event the results of my actions were not favorable. Many people pointed out the fact that I was totally inexperienced, and this would be a total disadvantage which could even lead me to disaster. I set about my task with optimism. Sheer optimism which affected my hearing too! I was engaged in happily setting up my own business with a view to reaping the benefits. I did reap many benefits. The results were excellent and it continued that way for a couple of years.
Consistantly I was recieveing advise from many to pay heed to the changing trends, and to alter course accordingly. This particular business of mine continued to be successful until the unethical actions of some competitors created intense competition. Certain instruments were required to negate that competition. These required funding. Funding required eating into profits. So, I had to alter course after all. So that was it. It was fun while it lasted. Then it was "hard-a-starboard."
The fact remains that, in spite of all the warnings I received, I set about my task with one primary focus. And I did succeed. None of the predictions of those who warned me came true, although all the advise I received were from real well wishers who did not want to see me stranded. Terminating the business was the result of changes caused by external forces over which I had no talent to control.
As I stated before, prior to setting up my business many people offered advice, in the form of warnings. These warnings had registered in my subconcious only, to emerge later on as recallable memory, although at the point of registering it went totally unnoticed by me. Much later on when things did go wrong, I heard phrases like, "there, did I not tell you?" It was only then did I remember ignoring warnings as I was deafened by my sheer optimism.
As for the other side of optimism, I would like to mention, during this period of success, I had noticed a certain trait in an employee of mine, which led to a fear that he would commit a particular kind of mistake. I did not take any preventive measures although the fear continued to haunt me. Then, believe it or not, he DID commit that error, the very error which I even dreaded to dream that he would commit. It caused big losses and embarrasment as well.
So that's it! I had all along been optimistic without even knowing it, and have achieved great results. My pessimism which was a fear that an employee would commit a particular error also produced a result, an unfavorable one. Thus, I cannot dismiss the theories of positivity and negativity as total BS.
Right now I look at both sides of the coin. The flip side always appear a little scary. What I fear from my experiences, is that negativity will somehow barge into a peaceful happy condition and cause a sort of panic to set in. On the other hand, positivity is not all that easy to posess. Negativity is not easy to repel either. Blame it on Murphy or anything at all.
By continued experimenting, I have observed that the calmer the mind is, the more it derives the capacity to repel negativity. The more you repel negativity the more optimistic you become. The more optimistic you are, the more you are likely to face favorable events.
It is up to you to interpret my tale any way you want. Put it down to coincidence or anything at all. I only told you my story, exactly the way it happened and how I behaved before and during. The result of these events is that I have arrived at the conclusion that positivity or optimism helps immensely and negativity or pessimism does the opposite.
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