The Power of Positive Thinking

Second, Peale’s theological synthesis of upward mobility with religious buoyancy matched the postwar mood, turning a man into a movement. His blend of Methodist evangelism, Dutch Reformed Calvinism, and New Thought focus on mind-power appeared in earlier works, The Art of Living (1937) and You Can Win (1938), yet as Peale’s writing progressed, New

The power of positive thinking or being a highly effective person are both good ambitions, but if you’ve bought this book you probably have an upbeat attitude towards your life and work anyway.

two influential figures whose doctrines of self-realization were more materialistic and more attractive to politicians and suburban Rotarians. Norman Vincent Peale, the author of the 1952 self-help bestseller The Power of Positive Thinking—known

Positive thinking was simply a repackaging of earlier metaphysical mind-power, remembered for its psychological cast and emphasis on a cheerful and well-ordered mind.

Positive thinking followed a simple formula: “picturize, prayerize, and actualize.”

The Positive Power of Negative Thinking Although many originals come across as beacons of conviction and confidence on the outside, their inner experiences are peppered with ambivalence and self-doubt.