Cold Hard Truth: Thinking Does NOT Make It So

The Cold Hard Truth is a five-week series designed to discuss things that people don’t really want to hear but need to!

Cold Hard Truth: Positive thinking, in and of itself, is not enough. If thinking were enough, we’d all be living the lives of our dreams. We’d be working in jobs that we love or we wouldn’t be working at all. We’d have perfect mates in perfect relationships. We’d have wonderful kids and live in the homes of our dreams. How many of us are doing that?

Positive thinking is an integral part of success; but, it isn’t the only part. Thinking has got to be combined with action; and not just any action but consistently-applied action.

Positive thinking might make for a happier attitude but it won’t make for a happier outcome. If you want change, you have get out of your head and get busy.

Really, thinking and action are two sides of the same coin.

• Thinking without action is dreaming.
• Action without thinking is reckless.

The two go hand and hand. Positive thinking can give you the motivation to take consistent action when you may not feel like it (think exercise, diet, saving money or even going to work!). If you are taking consistent action but run into obstacles or roadblocks, it is thinking, positively and proactively, that will help you develop an alternative plan.

Positive thinking might be the first step, but no one accomplishes a journey in a single step. To take the next step, and the step after that, you have to do more than think about your destination, you have to take consistent action to reach it.