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You Can't Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought
New price, new look and new format for this bestselling pop psychology classic. You Can't Afford The Luxury of a Negative Thought is an upbeat, accesible book about the power of positive thought -- and about how negative thinking can wreck lives. Negative thinking is seen as a debilitating illness that will slowly kill your spirit -- and for some people lead to actual physical disease. Happily though, this is not a doom-filled book at all! The authors show how Eliminate The Negative -- spend less time thinking 'down' and negative thoughts. / Accentuate The Positive -- spend more time focussing on the positive things in your life. / Latch On To The Affirmative -- enjoy each moment! Packed full of inspirational, funny, and moving quotes. This book was written in part specially for those who have been diagnosed with severe illness. Negative thinking drags you down -- whilst a truly positive approach will have a positive effect on your whole self -- thus promoting good physical health. Though this book is a terrific inspirational read for anyone looking to recover health, it's essentially a big book about positive thinking and is certainly not limited to an 'ill' market!
558 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
47 people are currently reading
838 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 10, 2014
I was recently reminded of this book. It played a *huge* role in getting me out of a funk many years ago, and so I figured I at least owed it and its authors a thank you and glowing review. I don't know where I'd be now if I hadn't read it at just the time I did.
March 22, 2018
So, i'm going to get personal and admit that I am a work in progress and am constantly looking for ways to better myself (i want to learn and grow constantly). I tend to shy away from self-help books if I find them too preachy or judgmental. But I found none of that in this book, in fact I found it not only rewarding to read but also very funny. Instead of hitting me over the head with all of the things that cause negative thinking (and it's effects on the mind, body and soul) it broke it down into manageable sections with the side-note that I could take the advice given with a grain of salt. It wasn't mandatory that I take it at all. The advice is helpful, extremely insightful (without being preachy), and very practical and if anything I felt like this book gave me great tips on how to love and accept myself (something I constantly struggle with on a day-to-day basis), and I really loved that. I felt like the author was directly speaking to me and my constant battle with negative thoughts, and was both kind, attentive and humorous with it. It's given me a greater, deeper and more meaningful look at myself (flaws and all, which s hard) and the way I handle situations that I fall into, and a more positive means of handling them as well. I feel like anything is possible after reading this book. Did it change my life? Yes! Will it change yours? Maybe, and I say that with the thought in mind that this book may not be for everyone, but it may be for anyone who wants to better themselves, learn to love themselves, and for anyone who wants to learn to appreciate life (before they die), as well as anyone who wants a book that's a general - feel-good pick-me-up kind of read (in fact you can read whatever passages grabs you and skip the rest if you want to, another thing I loved about this book).
It's also very respectful to religion as well (in one passage it draws parallels between light, both it's image and meaning, and all of the major religions in the world, along with art and poetry...a passage I found to be quite enlightening, pun fully intended, since it's actually true, and I can never resist a pun) and the fact that each individual reader of the book will see things from different perspectives (and learn different lessons from the book) but that in the end we all deserve the very best for ourselves no matter what we happen to believe in, was something I really admired about the book (and the author).
All in all, I would highly recommend this book to everyone actually because it's not only good, but because I honestly don't think you will lose anything if you read it....you could read it and hate it, but at least you'll be able to form an opinion about it and yourself (thus getting to know more about yourself in the process), and if you read it and love it, then you have another book to love as well as a book that is both mentally and emotionally rewarding. I will definitely find myself revisiting this book whenever I want something uplifting to read as well as a few reminders on how to grow into the healthy, happy person I know I am (but tend to forget on a regular basis that I am, lol).
It's also very respectful to religion as well (in one passage it draws parallels between light, both it's image and meaning, and all of the major religions in the world, along with art and poetry...a passage I found to be quite enlightening, pun fully intended, since it's actually true, and I can never resist a pun) and the fact that each individual reader of the book will see things from different perspectives (and learn different lessons from the book) but that in the end we all deserve the very best for ourselves no matter what we happen to believe in, was something I really admired about the book (and the author).
All in all, I would highly recommend this book to everyone actually because it's not only good, but because I honestly don't think you will lose anything if you read it....you could read it and hate it, but at least you'll be able to form an opinion about it and yourself (thus getting to know more about yourself in the process), and if you read it and love it, then you have another book to love as well as a book that is both mentally and emotionally rewarding. I will definitely find myself revisiting this book whenever I want something uplifting to read as well as a few reminders on how to grow into the healthy, happy person I know I am (but tend to forget on a regular basis that I am, lol).
December 24, 2013
With a wonderful, light-hearted attitude, Peter McWilliams shares his thoughts, and quotes from many of the greats in history, as he discusses how our thoughts form our reality. Indeed, from the very first sentences in the book we get the essence of everything that the author is trying to say,
“A simple thought. A few micromilliwatts of energy flowing through our brain. A seemingly innocuous, almost ephemeral event. And yet, a thought—or, more accurately, a carefully orchestrated series of thoughts—has a significant impact on our mind, our body, and our emotions.”
On this journey to help us purge our mind of negative thinking, all aspects of life are discussed and no excuse is left undisturbed. Life-threatening illness, the death of a loved one, failed relationships, addictions and many other “reasons” for negative thinking are all addressed, as are the negative emotions that are often associated with some of life’s most trying circumstances.
Simply bringing our negative thoughts into the light of awareness is not enough, so Peter emphasizes the steps we can take to focus on the positive aspects in our lives. Pro-active steps to better thinking include: meditation, visualization, using affirmations, having an attitude of gratitude and learning forgiveness.
This is quite a lengthy book, and the information is quite extensive, so if you’re expecting a quick read this might not be what you are looking for. On the other hand, if you truly want to make your life better, and if you are truly interested in reading a book that will help eliminate stinkin’ thinkin’, then this could be precisely what you need to read.
“A simple thought. A few micromilliwatts of energy flowing through our brain. A seemingly innocuous, almost ephemeral event. And yet, a thought—or, more accurately, a carefully orchestrated series of thoughts—has a significant impact on our mind, our body, and our emotions.”
On this journey to help us purge our mind of negative thinking, all aspects of life are discussed and no excuse is left undisturbed. Life-threatening illness, the death of a loved one, failed relationships, addictions and many other “reasons” for negative thinking are all addressed, as are the negative emotions that are often associated with some of life’s most trying circumstances.
Simply bringing our negative thoughts into the light of awareness is not enough, so Peter emphasizes the steps we can take to focus on the positive aspects in our lives. Pro-active steps to better thinking include: meditation, visualization, using affirmations, having an attitude of gratitude and learning forgiveness.
This is quite a lengthy book, and the information is quite extensive, so if you’re expecting a quick read this might not be what you are looking for. On the other hand, if you truly want to make your life better, and if you are truly interested in reading a book that will help eliminate stinkin’ thinkin’, then this could be precisely what you need to read.
January 27, 2018
You Can't Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought has a lot of good quotes, advice, and points. There are times when the ideas are far fetched and a little odd. I will use some of this advice and help, but some sections were unnecessary. Overall, I would recommend the book to people who want to see life in a positive light and dive into some self-help practices.
August 21, 2015
One of the best books out there for lifting yourself up and the others around you. This book and it's sister, Ain't Nobody's Business if You Do, have proven to be an invaluable resource to myself as a writer and and an individual.
January 8, 2022
Excellent. My husband and I read this every morning and had a positive thought to carry with us all day. The sections can be read at random or sequentially like we did. Very uplifting book and one that I will keep to look back at when I need a shot of Positivety!
November 21, 2018
Nearly all self-help books are terrible, bordering upon worthless or, worse still, destructive. They tell you everything that's wrong with you and, because you're terrible and the author is filthy rich from giving advice, you must do what they say, or else you'll stay terrible.
This book is a magnificent exception to that observation. In well-conceived, bite-sized pieces (from one to perhaps seven pages in each bite), McWilliams simply describes and discusses "stuff we all do" and "stuff that seems to just happen to us" with the air of a friend who's been there, done that, rejected the t-shirt, and instead is offering a hot cuppa and a nice chat. More than that, he offers no single "cause" nor single "cure" to these issues. Again, he observes, sprinkles the book with quite literally hundreds of quotes related to his subject matter, and from which we may get further insight into his points. The quotes are humorous, inspirational, insightful, and reminds us that we aren't the first people to go through this poo. We aren't alone, which is itself a helpful reminder.
You may or may not go through the entire book (about 500 pages, in this edition... and that's before the "end material" of the book). You may not need to; it's very likely that, like various endorsements from the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Streisand, you'll trip across something that speaks directly to you, and you'll work with that point until you become "unstuck." That's rather the point, you see. That's why this self-help book has genuine value: It offer real help, in the form of mirrors to let you view, to let you consider your situation, combined with tools to help cope with the various parts of that situati0n.
To date, this is the only self-help book that I would suggest everyone page through. Highly recommended.
This book is a magnificent exception to that observation. In well-conceived, bite-sized pieces (from one to perhaps seven pages in each bite), McWilliams simply describes and discusses "stuff we all do" and "stuff that seems to just happen to us" with the air of a friend who's been there, done that, rejected the t-shirt, and instead is offering a hot cuppa and a nice chat. More than that, he offers no single "cause" nor single "cure" to these issues. Again, he observes, sprinkles the book with quite literally hundreds of quotes related to his subject matter, and from which we may get further insight into his points. The quotes are humorous, inspirational, insightful, and reminds us that we aren't the first people to go through this poo. We aren't alone, which is itself a helpful reminder.
You may or may not go through the entire book (about 500 pages, in this edition... and that's before the "end material" of the book). You may not need to; it's very likely that, like various endorsements from the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Streisand, you'll trip across something that speaks directly to you, and you'll work with that point until you become "unstuck." That's rather the point, you see. That's why this self-help book has genuine value: It offer real help, in the form of mirrors to let you view, to let you consider your situation, combined with tools to help cope with the various parts of that situati0n.
To date, this is the only self-help book that I would suggest everyone page through. Highly recommended.
March 10, 2011
One of the many great books in John-Roger and Peter McWilliams Life 101 series.
The book stresses the importance of being positive about everything ... and reveals the dangers of negativity and pessimism. Presents concepts on the "disease" of negativity and the "cure" and contains great personal stories and wonderful, inspirational quotes. If you've gotten into the negative thinking habit, this book will help turn you around and send you running the other way!
The book stresses the importance of being positive about everything ... and reveals the dangers of negativity and pessimism. Presents concepts on the "disease" of negativity and the "cure" and contains great personal stories and wonderful, inspirational quotes. If you've gotten into the negative thinking habit, this book will help turn you around and send you running the other way!
June 22, 2012
This book was the beginning of my mind being renewed. I knew I had to make some choices for change but didn't realize they were all internal.
I was at a dead beat job and living with some circumstances not desired but this book kept me full of hope and boy is it funny!!!!
I would read it at work (call center environment) and others were constantly asking me what I was reading.
It's worth more than the retail cost!!!!
I was at a dead beat job and living with some circumstances not desired but this book kept me full of hope and boy is it funny!!!!
I would read it at work (call center environment) and others were constantly asking me what I was reading.
It's worth more than the retail cost!!!!
December 11, 2014
I didn't finish this one.
I was looking for something like Learned Optimism about cultivating a good attitude and developing a positive mental outlook, but this wasn't it.
I found this to be shallow and superficial.
I was looking for something like Learned Optimism about cultivating a good attitude and developing a positive mental outlook, but this wasn't it.
I found this to be shallow and superficial.
May 5, 2010
Probably would have given it a higher rating back in '94 when I first read it. Then it was like gold to me. Now it's something I think I can pass on to someone who needs it more than I do.
January 30, 2019
I liked some concepts and found some points to be helpful. Other parts was a bit strange and not helpful. An average read for a self help book.
April 1, 2022
A gift from JJ, in order to help my mental state. The book is split into two parts; the disease and, the cure. Briefly, this is a three step program:
1. Accentuate the positive
2. Eliminate the negative
3. Latch on to the affirmative
However, it's a hefty tome and there is much elaboration around these 3 themes. It's an easy (and enjoyable) read and it's pop-psychology that isn't trying to 'over-promise'. Indeed, there are echos of great world philosophies here (e.g. Stoicism).
Having finished this book, I can say that it's a compendium of many other 'self-help' books I've read, written through the lens of an 1980's Californian take on life, which mostly stands the test of time. Will maybe re-read at a later juncture.
1. Accentuate the positive
2. Eliminate the negative
3. Latch on to the affirmative
However, it's a hefty tome and there is much elaboration around these 3 themes. It's an easy (and enjoyable) read and it's pop-psychology that isn't trying to 'over-promise'. Indeed, there are echos of great world philosophies here (e.g. Stoicism).
Having finished this book, I can say that it's a compendium of many other 'self-help' books I've read, written through the lens of an 1980's Californian take on life, which mostly stands the test of time. Will maybe re-read at a later juncture.
November 17, 2020
From this book, I relearned how to think about an event. You always have several choices.
E.g. Everyone at work hates me.
Replacement thought: Of course the majority of people feel uncomfortable when you hold them accountable, but after awhile, most will get used to it. In fact, in the end, most people who work the hardest get the least amount of time and nurturing, and accountability is a way to rectify that inequity.
It took me awhile, but I can do "replacement thoughts" on the "fly" now.
E.g. Everyone at work hates me.
Replacement thought: Of course the majority of people feel uncomfortable when you hold them accountable, but after awhile, most will get used to it. In fact, in the end, most people who work the hardest get the least amount of time and nurturing, and accountability is a way to rectify that inequity.
It took me awhile, but I can do "replacement thoughts" on the "fly" now.
Want to read
November 17, 2021Does this book contain a funny story about laughing about lost luggage? I read one of this author’s books about 13 years ago and I’m trying to figure out if this is the one and it’s driving me crazy!
December 27, 2017
Absolute favorite for 2016-2017.
December 9, 2019
This is a really weird book. If you can get past that, there is some good advice!
My copy has a lot of misprinting, possibly due to inaccurate changes between versions?
My copy has a lot of misprinting, possibly due to inaccurate changes between versions?
January 7, 2020
Practical, quick to implement, easy to read in short bits. Helpful and powerful results.
March 31, 2021
When I was in the hospital with a broken neck, someone gave this to me to help keep my mind positive. It was a great help!
August 30, 2021
Good overview of having a more positive attitude but does have a lot of filler.
June 8, 2022
This is fucking incredible!
LOVE LOVE LOVE
READ READ READ
LOVE LOVE LOVE
READ READ READ
June 10, 2022
First book I read that started to awaken my mind to the idea that thoughts become things. Great entrance to people wanting to transform their lives and move past old patterns and thinking.
January 2, 2023
While usefull as a source of optimism, I found it overly simplistic vision of life.
library-priority
March 3, 2023Sadie of Yukon recommends.
July 22, 2023
Some cool concepts and quotes.
April 15, 2025
Good quotes and ways to look at life / thinking to review
October 27, 2011
A good friend gave this to me a few years ago when I was battling an auto immune disorder. Even though I am in much better shape now, I still find the ideas in here useful. Great place to start for anyone depressed or in a rut of some kind.
November 19, 2012
I took several pages of notes from this book. It is full of good common-sense counsel that has really helped me in my effort to change negative thought patterns. The quotes that are on every other page add to the positive flavor of the book, and the authors humor also make it an enjoyable read.
Read
October 19, 2007Good advice on how to focus on the positive and not get bogged down with unnecessary and unhelpful negatives. Lots of quotes. I like quotes.
waiting-2-b-read
December 25, 2010I love the quotes too. Added quite a few of them to my screensaver.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews