Not looking at the positive side of a situation does not imply negative thinking. One can be completely positive in doing so.

Not looking at the positive side of a situation does not imply negative thinking. One can be completely positive in doing so.

To make my initial point clear, I’ll use a couple of examples.

1. Scenario: Bad overall situation with a few positives.
Actions: Looking at the positives and ignoring the overall state of the situation. => Being comforted by those positives, not realizing the gravity of the situation, not taking responsibility, not changing much (or anything at all).
Result: bad.

2. Scenario: Bad overall situation with few positives.
Actions: Ignoring the positives for the time being and taking responsibility for the gravity of the situation. => Taking action towards change; after the overall situation improves, the positives make their presence felt.
Result: good.

There’s nothing wrong with being positive if you’re not being so just to ignore the negative and find some comfort.

To make my initial point clear, I’ll use a couple of examples.

1. Scenario: Bad overall situation with a few positives.
Actions: Looking at the positives and ignoring the overall state of the situation. => Being comforted by those positives, not realizing the gravity of the situation, not taking responsibility, not changing much (or anything at all).
Result: bad.

2. Scenario: Bad overall situation with few positives.
Actions: Ignoring the positives for the time being and taking responsibility for the gravity of the situation. => Taking action towards change; after the overall situation improves, the positives make their presence felt.
Result: good.

There’s nothing wrong with being positive if you’re not being so just to ignore the negative and find some comfort.

However, consider the following example. Let’s say that you have a failing business. And let’s say that the customer feedback is good and the location of your business is great… What use would it be to think about those positives while being aware that your business is failing? Positives, in that context, are nothing but cradles.
Of course, some of the positive aspects might serve as foundation for change and improvement, but that implies something different than positive thinking.
I strongly believe that by replacing positive thinking with responsibility, courage and action, one has much greater chances of success (with anything).

A calm and positive mind is better than a chaotic one. However, even better than a calm and positive mind is a disciplined and real (as in honest) one.

One thing that doesn’t seem to be understood by many is that there *is* something in between positive and negative thinking; it’s not a black and white scenario. And just because you call someone out on their slack, or are honest with yourself, does not make your state of mind negative.
With the danger of sounding slightly negative, I have to say that I would choose honesty over positiveness at any time. Merging the two would be even better, but because they tend to cancel each other out it is somehow dangerous to try and be both at the same time.

PS: “we are able to have a lot of stuff within our attention span at the same time” – having a lot of things in our attention spam is not only highly inefficient but also lowers our ability to really focus on one problem at a time (it may also lead to ADD).

However, consider the following example. Let’s say that you have a failing business. And let’s say that the customer feedback is good and the location of your business is great… What use would it be to think about those positives while being aware that your business is failing? Positives, in that context, are nothing but cradles.
Of course, some of the positive aspects might serve as foundation for change and improvement, but that implies something different than positive thinking.
I strongly believe that by replacing positive thinking with responsibility, courage and action, one has much greater chances of success (with anything).

A calm and positive mind is better than a chaotic one. However, even better than a calm and positive mind is a disciplined and real (as in honest) one.

One thing that doesn’t seem to be understood by many is that there *is* something in between positive and negative thinking; it’s not a black and white scenario. And just because you call someone out on their slack, or are honest with yourself, does not make your state of mind negative.
With the danger of sounding slightly negative, I have to say that I would choose honesty over positiveness at any time. Merging the two would be even better, but because they tend to cancel each other out it is somehow dangerous to try and be both at the same time.

PS: “we are able to have a lot of stuff within our attention span at the same time” – having a lot of things in our attention spam is not only highly inefficient but also lowers our ability to really focus on one problem at a time (it may also lead to ADD).

My point is that you need to have a calm and positive mind to get the best out of your life. To get that you must be able to control your mind and your focus. You also need to understand why things become a problem to you. Why is it e.g. a problem for some people when one of their good colleges gets promoted when you think you deserve it more? This is only a problem inside your head and to avoid problems like this you must have control over your mind and of course you can not let a problem like that take control of your life.

My point is that you need to have a calm and positive mind to get the best out of your life. To get that you must be able to control your mind and your focus. You also need to understand why things become a problem to you. Why is it e.g. a problem for some people when one of their good colleges gets promoted when you think you deserve it more? This is only a problem inside your head and to avoid problems like this you must have control over your mind and of course you can not let a problem like that take control of your life.

The problem that I see is with focusing on the positive aspects of an unchangeable situation while working on changing what can be changed.

There is a contradiction in this phrase: “look at the positive side of things and turn your attention to the problems you are have the power and will to do anything about.”

First, we have “look at the positive” and then “turn your attention to the problems.”

As you may know, the human mind is capable of thinking only one thought at a time. In our case, that means one has the option of either going into the positive thoughts or looking at the reality and putting effort into change.

In your phrase, “look at the positive” is placed before “turn your attention to the problem,” resulting in a problem. One will stop at “look at the positive” and won’t pay attention to the problems too soon… the positive, even though it might be insignificant, is always more welcoming than the problem needing to be tackled.

Now, even if that was a pure accident (positive->problem), we still have an issue. When presented with two choices of action, one comfortable and the other uncomfortable, which one do you believe will be chosen first? Most people will choose the comfortable action – looking at the positive aspects of a situation that isn’t positive.

The way I see it, focusing on the positive is destructive if one does it on purpose.
When the good things/bad things balance is in favor of the good ones, no one will have to focus to see the positive; it will make its presence felt by its own power.

The problem that I see is with focusing on the positive aspects of an unchangeable situation while working on changing what can be changed.

There is a contradiction in this phrase: “look at the positive side of things and turn your attention to the problems you are have the power and will to do anything about.”

First, we have “look at the positive” and then “turn your attention to the problems.”

As you may know, the human mind is capable of thinking only one thought at a time. In our case, that means one has the option of either going into the positive thoughts or looking at the reality and putting effort into change.

In your phrase, “look at the positive” is placed before “turn your attention to the problem,” resulting in a problem. One will stop at “look at the positive” and won’t pay attention to the problems too soon… the positive, even though it might be insignificant, is always more welcoming than the problem needing to be tackled.

Now, even if that was a pure accident (positive->problem), we still have an issue. When presented with two choices of action, one comfortable and the other uncomfortable, which one do you believe will be chosen first? Most people will choose the comfortable action – looking at the positive aspects of a situation that isn’t positive.

The way I see it, focusing on the positive is destructive if one does it on purpose.
When the good things/bad things balance is in favor of the good ones, no one will have to focus to see the positive; it will make its presence felt by its own power.