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Discovering the Power of Positive Thinking
Gives the following message: If you believe that the power of God within you is equal to any of life's difficulties, then a rewarding life will be yours.
- GenresSelf HelpNonfiction
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
14 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
Norman Vincent Peale
712 books1,337 followersDr. Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) was a minister and author (most notably of The Power of Positive Thinking) and a progenitor of the theory of "positive thinking".
Peale was born in Bowersville, Ohio. He graduated from Bellefontaine High School, Bellefontaine, Ohio. He has earned degrees at Ohio Wesleyan University (where he became a brother of the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta) and Boston University School of Theology.
Raised as a Methodist and ordained as a Methodist minister in 1922, Peale changed his religious affiliation to the Reformed Church in America in 1932 and began a 52-year tenure as pastor of Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan. During that time the church's membership grew from 600 to over 5000, and he became one of New York City's most famous preachers.
Peale was born in Bowersville, Ohio. He graduated from Bellefontaine High School, Bellefontaine, Ohio. He has earned degrees at Ohio Wesleyan University (where he became a brother of the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta) and Boston University School of Theology.
Raised as a Methodist and ordained as a Methodist minister in 1922, Peale changed his religious affiliation to the Reformed Church in America in 1932 and began a 52-year tenure as pastor of Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan. During that time the church's membership grew from 600 to over 5000, and he became one of New York City's most famous preachers.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 26, 2013
My father forced me to listen to this drivel for weeks on end when I was 12. Even then, I did not find the ideas in this book the least bit persuasive or helpful.
One of Peale's friends is quoted as saying "Every day when I wake up I realise I have a choice. I can be happy or unhappy. So what do I do? I'm not dumb. I just CHOOSE to be happy." What nonsense. I am reminded of a particularly callous sermon I had the misfortune of listening to in Japan back in 2010, where a pampered pastor described the Haiti earthquake victims as happy. If they were so happy, why were they collecting money for them? How someone can live with such blatant mountains of cognitive dissonance is simultaneously disturbing and infuriating.
Peale's friend could easily be shown the error of his ways by someone with more life experience. If I knew someone like that, I would punch him until he realised that happiness is not something that can be "chosen." We would not need psychologists, psychiatrists or people willing to listen and help each other if happiness was that simple. NVP tries to strengthen this platitude with another from former US President Lincoln: "People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be." What nonsense. All this shows is that even charismatic leaders can be incredibly shallow at times.
NVP trots out prayer and dependence on Jesus as a solution (when in actual fact, it is the calming of one's mind that actually helps, not the prayer itself). This is nonsense, as numerous prayer studies and the utter dearth of regenerated amputees has already demonstrated.
If you want your life to improve, go out there and do something to make things better. Don't expect this travesty of a book or wishful thinking to do it for you.
One of Peale's friends is quoted as saying "Every day when I wake up I realise I have a choice. I can be happy or unhappy. So what do I do? I'm not dumb. I just CHOOSE to be happy." What nonsense. I am reminded of a particularly callous sermon I had the misfortune of listening to in Japan back in 2010, where a pampered pastor described the Haiti earthquake victims as happy. If they were so happy, why were they collecting money for them? How someone can live with such blatant mountains of cognitive dissonance is simultaneously disturbing and infuriating.
Peale's friend could easily be shown the error of his ways by someone with more life experience. If I knew someone like that, I would punch him until he realised that happiness is not something that can be "chosen." We would not need psychologists, psychiatrists or people willing to listen and help each other if happiness was that simple. NVP tries to strengthen this platitude with another from former US President Lincoln: "People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be." What nonsense. All this shows is that even charismatic leaders can be incredibly shallow at times.
NVP trots out prayer and dependence on Jesus as a solution (when in actual fact, it is the calming of one's mind that actually helps, not the prayer itself). This is nonsense, as numerous prayer studies and the utter dearth of regenerated amputees has already demonstrated.
If you want your life to improve, go out there and do something to make things better. Don't expect this travesty of a book or wishful thinking to do it for you.
February 11, 2013
Fast motivating read.
Here's my favorites:
". . . a doctor used to say many of his patients were sick because they had what he called CDTs --cares, difficulties and troubles. His prescriptions was, 'Lift the mind for ten minutes every day into the area of pure joy.'"
"I never want anything of a materialistic nature to stand in the way of any of my relationships."
"A person can hardly become strong without being subjected to difficulty."
"Look up not down."
"My mind is like an elevator. I press a positive thought button and move up to a higher floor."
"Attitudes are more important than facts."
"I am a teacher and a teacher should never react emotionally to his students."
"You can't prevent birds from fkying over your head, but you can keep them from building nests in your hair."
"To every disadvantage, there is a corresponding advantage."
Here's my favorites:
". . . a doctor used to say many of his patients were sick because they had what he called CDTs --cares, difficulties and troubles. His prescriptions was, 'Lift the mind for ten minutes every day into the area of pure joy.'"
"I never want anything of a materialistic nature to stand in the way of any of my relationships."
"A person can hardly become strong without being subjected to difficulty."
"Look up not down."
"My mind is like an elevator. I press a positive thought button and move up to a higher floor."
"Attitudes are more important than facts."
"I am a teacher and a teacher should never react emotionally to his students."
"You can't prevent birds from fkying over your head, but you can keep them from building nests in your hair."
"To every disadvantage, there is a corresponding advantage."
December 13, 2012
Good read
The real life examples were good
The part about breaking the bad habits was extremely good
July 20, 2014
Really a wonderful read on optimism. Clear and concise quoting from real life examples.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews