How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life

by Scott Adams

I think we can all agree that affirmations are a phenomenon of the mind and belong in the domain of psychology and perception.

I can tell you that in my case affirmations appear to have more power than one might expect from positive thinking.

The most obvious explanation for the apparent power of affirmations is selective memory.

Another perfectly good explanation of the apparent power of affirmations is that people who report success with it are liars, with no more credibility than the people who report being abducted by aliens.

False memory is another possible explanation for why affirmations appear to work.

Another possible reason that affirmations appear to work is that optimists tend to notice opportunities that pessimists miss.

Whether you are a born optimist or you become one through affirmations, prayer, or positive thinking, you end up with several advantages that make it easier for luck to find you.

Another explanation for the apparent power of affirmations might be that we have the causation wrong.

Another possible explanation for the apparent power of affirmations is that our tiny human brains have not evolved to the point where they can give us an accurate impression of our reality.

If we are indeed nothing but computer-generated entities, affirmations could be nothing more than an unremarkable bit of programming code.

doing affirmations is a system that helps you focus, boosts your optimism and energy, and perhaps validates the talent and drive that your subconscious always knew you had.

I believe I tried affirmations on a number of occasions and the results that I remember—or think I remember—appear to be borderline miraculous.

And always remember that failure is your friend. It is the raw material of success. Invite it in. Learn from it. And don’t let it leave until you pick its pocket. That’s a system. The End