What is Positive Thinking?

Positive Thinking simply means to think about what you want throughout the day and avoid thinking about what you don't want.  For example, if I want to get hired for a new job I just interviewed for, I would think to myself things like "I am going to get that job," "They are going to hire me," "They totally want me for the job," "I'm the best applicant they had," etc.

Reasons why this method could work:

If I said those things to myself and I actually believed them at the subconscious level, I would most likely get the job.  If I did not originally believe these things at my core belief level, but I said them repeatedly with my true emotion, (especially if I did this right before falling asleep and right after waking up) then I could have reprogrammed my core belief to fit with my positive thinking, and I would most likely get the job.  If I didn't have a strong core belief about getting this job to begin with, it's possible that my Positive Thinking would be enough to sway my core beliefs to the side of believing I will get the job, and I would most likely get the job.

Reasons why this method could not work:

If I said those things to myself but I did not actually believe them subconsciously - if I had a strong core belief that I would not get the job, and I do not change my core belief, I would probably not get the job.  Even if I tried to change my core belief by saying those things right before sleep or right aftering waking, but I failed to mix true emotion with my words, I would not change my core belief, and I would probably not get the job.  If I did not have a strong core belief about getting the job, but got tired of spending so much energy everyday on Positive Thinking, I would probably get frustrated rather quickly if I did not get the job right away, and then create the core belief that I am not going to get the job, and I would probably not get the job.  If I say the things above, mixed with worry and fear that I might not get the job, I am too attached to the desire and my true belief is that I won't get the job, and I probably won't get it.

The term "Positive Thinking" is misleading

While it's true that all successful people focus more on what they want than what they don't want, Positive Thinking is misleading and unnecessary.  It is unnecessary to spend so much energy throughout the day consciously telling yourself positive things if you don't believe them at the subconscious level.  Therefore, if you want to think more positively throughout the day, or more accurately - feel more positively throughout the day, all you need to do is take 10-20 minutes (or more if you like) every night and/or morning to say your positive affirmations to change your core beliefs and reprogram your subconscious mind.  Once you change your actual beliefs, you will automatically think thoughts and feel emotions that support those core beliefs and you will think and feel positive about your goals throughout your day without any effort.  You will believe day and night, conscious or unconscious, that you will succeed at achieving what you want.

Analogies

Think of Positive Thinking like putting a small bandaid over a really bad flesh wound, because Positive Thinking is generally only done at the conscious level, attempting to cover up the deeper contradicting beliefs - the bandaid won't heal the wound, but only hide what needs to be fixed.  Think of Positive Affirmations (or reprogramming your subconscious mind or changing your core beliefs) as a successful transplant operation to remove the negative beliefs and replace them with appropriate positive beliefs.

More Information

Affirmations:  http://goodkarma.org/node/127

Clearing Negative Thoughts:  http://goodkarma.org/node/102 and http://goodkarma.org/node/158

"Think and Grow Rich" Affirmation Method:  http://goodkarma.org/node/19