The Power of Positive Thinking

by Norman Vincent Peale

But with sound self-confidence

confidence you can succeed.

self-confidence leads to self-realisation and succes...

I suggested that he relax a little, that nothing was quite that final. If he succeeded, that was fine. If he didn’t, well, tomorrow was another day.

“First, it is important to discover why you have these feelings of no power. That requires analysis and will take time.

him—“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

The greatest secret for eliminating the inferiority complex, which is another term for deep and profound self-doubt, is to fill your mind to overflowing with faith. Develop a tremendous faith in God and that will give you a humble yet soundly realistic faith in yourself.

more positive pattern of ideas must be given the mind, and that is accomplished by repetitive suggestion or confidence ideas.

“Attitudes are

more important than facts.”

Any fact facing us, however difficult, even seemingly hopeless, is not so important as our ...

On the other hand, a confident and optimistic thought pattern can modify or overcome the fact altogether.

One of the most powerful concepts, one which is a sure cure for lack of confidence, is the thought that God is actually with you and helping you.

Almighty God will be your companion, will stand by you, help you, and see you through.

practised. To practice it simply affirm “God is with me; God is helping me; God is guiding me.” Spend several minutes ...

Affirm it, visualise it, believe it, and it will actualise itself. The release of power which this procedure stimulates will astonish

Feelings of confidence depend upon the type of thoughts that habitually occupy your mind.

“Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain.” Practise confidence and faith and your fears and insecurities will soon have no power over you.

The secret is to fill your mind with thoughts of faith, confidence, and security.

Following are ten simple, workable rules for overcoming inadequacy attitudes and learning to practise faith.

1. Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental

picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop this picture. Never think of yourself as failing; never doubt the reality of the mental image. That is most dangerous, for the mind always tries to complete what it pictures. So always picture ‘success’ no matter how badly things seem to be going at the moment.

2. Whenever a negative thought concerning your personal powers comes to mind, deliberately voice a posi...

3. Do not build up obstacles in your imagination. Depreciate every so-called obstacle. Minimise them. Difficulties must be studied and efficiently dealt with to be eliminated, but they must be seen for only wh...

4. Do not be awe-struck by other people a...

them. Nobody can be you as efficientl...

5. Ten times a day repeat these dynamic words, “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Learn the origin of your inferiority and self-doubt feelings which often begin in childhood. Self-knowledge leads to a cure.

7. Ten times each day practise the following affirmation, repeating it out loud if possible. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Believe in your own God-released powers.

9. Put yourself in God’s hands. To do that simply state, “I am in God’s hands.” Then believe you are NOW receiving all the power you need. ‘Feel’ it flowing into you. Affirm that “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke xvii. 21) in the form of adequate power to meet life’s demands.

10. Remind yourself that God is with you and nothing can defeat you. Believe that you n...