Is Too Much Positive Thinking Bad For You?

I used to do some work for a business that taught massage therapists a new approach to bodywork. Using new techniques they became better therapists and this benefitted their clients who received deeper and more healing bodywork. The office of this company had a large board that was filled with glowing testimonials to how great the training courses were.

Everyone associated with the company was encouraged to think positively, always aware of the great things that the company stood for. The more massages people received using their approach, the more the world would improve. We were on a mission to help the world!

Occasionally a letter or email of complaint would arrive in the office. Most businesses at one time or another receive criticism no matter how successful they are. Whenever a complaint came in, the head of the company would call the senders ‘negative’ people who were only there to moan and complain. The policy was that no complaint was to be taken seriously. The company did not need to deal with these ‘negative’ people who would not join in the positive thinking that the company required..

So these complainers would find that no matter how constructive their criticism was, their issues would not be addressed, and they would be in effect told to go away and stop being negative. They would then tell at least 10 of their friends about how badly they had been treated and what a shoddy company it was. This process harmed the company by putting a lot of potential customers off.

Shortly before the banking collapse one or two people told the banks that there was a big flaw in the sub-prime mortgage market which could lead to serious financial problems. These people were told to stop being so negative. The bankers were so busy making lots of money that they did not want to hear that the financial bubble could burst.

There is a big cult of positive thinking in many companies. Positive thinking can be very useful. If you have a goal in life it does help to think positively that you are going to achieve the goal, but there are times when positive thinking can be the wrong thing to do and can actually be harmful. There are times when it is appropriate to:

• Get mad when your boss fires you
• Realise when a project is not going to work out and needs abandoning
• Not throw good money after bad
• Feel disappointed when your sports team loses badly
• Feel sad when your relationship breaks up

To want to always be positive and upbeat is to ignore the basic nature of human beings. Life has many shades, many moods, many aspects. Yes, be positive lots of the time, stick with things when obstacles appear, feel love for your fellow human  beings and so on.

Negative emotions are not bad as long as you don’t hang onto them. Occasionally open your mouth wide and let out a great scream of frustration. It will make you feel better. Then get on with the rest of your life.

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