Positive thinking is the notion that if you think good thoughts

Hear the voice of Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology, who spoke with clarity about the nature of the human heart: “Positive thinking is the notion that if you think good thoughts, things will work out well. Optimism is the feeling of thinking things will be well and be hopeful.” These words, though simple, contain a great distinction, a dividing line between two ways of facing the storms of life. For while both speak of light, one is the surface reflection, and the other is the deep flame that endures through night.

To practice positive thinking is to train the mind to focus on good, to chase away thoughts of despair with thoughts of hope. It is an act of will, an effort to mold one’s inner voice toward encouragement. Yet Seligman reminds us that this is only the beginning. Optimism goes deeper—it is not merely the act of thinking, but the soul’s feeling that life bends toward hope, that the river, though it winds, will find its way to the sea. Where positive thinking is the discipline of thought, optimism is the posture of the spirit.

The ancients understood this difference, though they gave it other names. The Stoics practiced positive thinking, training their minds to control what was within and to cast away what was beyond. But the prophets and poets lived with optimism, crying out that dawn always follows night, that renewal is woven into the very fabric of existence. Both ways are needed: the mind disciplined, and the heart hopeful. Together they form the shield and sword with which the soul endures.

History offers us examples of this union. Consider the life of Winston Churchill in the darkest days of the Second World War. When Britain stood alone against the Nazi threat, he did not merely command with logic or strategy. He wielded positive thinking in his speeches, focusing on courage and resilience, refusing to let despair poison his people’s hearts. Yet beyond words, he radiated optimism—a deep, unyielding belief that though the odds were grim, victory would come. It was this union of mind and spirit that sustained a nation through its darkest hour.

But let us also heed the warning within Seligman’s wisdom. To rely only on positive thinking can lead to illusion, for thoughts alone do not change reality. A man may say to himself, “The storm will not strike,” yet still the storm may come. To rely only on optimism without action can breed passivity, a waiting for dawn without preparing for the night. The strength lies in balance: positive thinking to guide our actions, optimism to fuel our endurance.

The lesson is this: do not scorn the power of the mind, nor the power of the heart. Train your thoughts, for they are seeds of action. Nurture optimism, for it is the fire that keeps the soul alive when the winds of adversity howl. Together, they form the way of resilience, the path by which human beings overcome despair and shape destiny.

Practical actions flow from this truth. Each morning, practice positive thinking by naming the good you wish to see and setting your intention for the day. Each evening, reflect with optimism, reminding yourself that whatever trials remain, the story is not yet over, and hope still rises with the dawn. Speak words of encouragement to others, for in strengthening them, you strengthen yourself. Surround yourself with voices that remind you of both discipline and hope, for these are the twin pillars of endurance.

So remember Seligman’s wisdom: positive thinking is the discipline of the mind, optimism the faith of the heart. Together, they are not mere cheerfulness, but a way of survival, a way of triumph. Walk with both, and you will not only endure the storms of life, but rise from them with a spirit that shines brighter than before.