Why positive thinking prevents achieve goals
Motivation / / December 19, 2019
Gabriele Oettingen
Professor of psychology and author of Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation, which offers an alternative to positive thinking.
Many believe that through positive thinking we achieve goals. Authors of books on popular psychology and self-development assert that positive thinking helps to always be in a good mood and brings to life the only useful changes.
However, things are not so simple. In the short term, positive thinking will help you feel better. But in the long term it will suck out your motivation and prevent to reach the desired goals.
How positive thinking prevents achieve goals
Gabriele Oettingen and colleagues conducted over two decades of research and found a link between positive thinking and low productivity.
During the experiment,The Motivating Function of Thinking About the Future: Expectations Versus Fantasies. They were interviewed students who were in love with someone who is far away from them. They were asked whether they are willing to meet with this man, and asked to think about how will further develop relations.
Five months later, the scientists tested whether the students began to meet with the objects of his love. It turned out, the more participants fantasized about the future together, the less likely that they will take any action.
Gabriele Oettingen conducted similar experiments with participants from different countries. The research results confirm that the positive fantasies more often than not lead to positive results.
First, positive thinking increases productivityBecause it allows you to relax. But then it pulls energy out of us. Scientists conducted an experimentPositive fantasies about idealized futures sap energy. , In which participants within a few minutes indulged positive fantasies about the future. At this time, they have significantly reduced systolic blood pressure.
Fantasies of a favorable outcome, allow to feel that we have already achieved the goal. As a result, we do not turn to the real action, and do not act as would be necessary.
Participants with a negative attitude and doubts about the success of applied much more effort in order to achieve the desired.
How positive thinking leads to depression
The researchers concluded that the reduced productivity can trigger depression.
Is believed to psychologists, people suffering from depression, becoming a distorted view of what is happening. They exaggerate the scale of the negative aspects of his life, and neutral perceive as negative. Stress can trigger these distortions of thinking, which were in the subconscious. The reason for this is the realization that you have failed to work or have not reached their goal.
Gabriele Oettingen conducted a number of studiesPleasure Now, Pain Later: Positive Fantasies About the Future Predict Symptoms of Depression. , In which representatives of different age groups. It has been proven that in the short term positive fantasy reduce the level of depression, and in the long term, on the contrary, increase.
To check the connection between productivity and reduced symptoms of depression, the researchers conducted an experiment, which was attended by 148 students. At the beginning of the semester the subjects completed the open scenario, fantasizing on its future performance, as scientists have estimated their level of depression. Two months later, the students again responded to the questions and filled out a questionnaire.
The more students fantasizing about the future in a positive way, the worse was their performance. The worse had students, the more they showed symptoms of depression, the cause of which was the fact that they are not strong enough trying to learn.
In another study it was shown that initially positive fantasies helped patients who had attempted suicide, to leave thoughts of suicide. However, as time passes the likelihood that they will take a second suicide attempt, has increased.
If you think that your friend is depressedNot advise him to think positively. Probably because you do him a disservice.
Mental contrasting - an alternative to positive thinking
Do not give up on positive thinking and make it work for you. Combine dreams with reality. Represent not only a positive outcome, but also the possible difficulties that you will encounter.
Gabriele Oettingen and colleagues conducted several studies that have shown that mental contrasting increases motivation and productivity. In one of themSelf-Regulation of Goal Setting: Turning Free Fantasies About the Future Into Binding Goals. they asked 168 students from Germany to formulate their most cherished desires related to relationships with the opposite sex. They also were asked to rate the likelihood of fulfillment of these desires. Each student described the possibility of a positive outcome, and the obstacles to achieving the goal.
Then, the students were divided into four groups. The first of them tested the mental contrasting: they were first positive scenario, then - negative. The second imagined only a positive outcome, the third focused only on the insurmountable obstacle. The fourth group first presented a negative scenario, and then - a positive. All of them recorded the thoughts that appear in them in the course of the experiment.
Two weeks later, scientists learned what real steps taken for the implementation of student desires. Students who used the method of mental contrasting with greater motivation and were ready to go into action.
Mental contrasting experiment allowed participants to send more energy to achieve the objectives that were actually achieved, and to give up unrealistic goals.
Mental contrasting not only helps to intelligently distribute the effort, but also prepares us for possible obstacles. This method makes it possible to plan measures that we can take the appearance of obstacles.
WOOP method - a more advanced version of the mental contrasting
Psychologist Peter Golvittser and colleagues at New York University have used a method called "intension of"Implementation Intentions. Strong Effects of Simple Plans. . It lies in the fact that the participants are making plans for the future, using the construction "if... then ...". For example: "If I run into situations, in order to achieve the goal, I will do Z way."
Studies have proven that people who make plans in this way, more productive.
Gabriele Oettingen combined this strategy with mental contrast. The result was an exercise includes four stages. It can be easy to use in everyday life. It is called WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan)WOOP my life. .
What is the principle of the method woop?
- You formulate your desire or goal (Wish).
- You define and visualize the desired result (Outcome).
- You are considering potential obstacles or problems (Obstacle) on the way to achieving the goal.
- You create a plan of action to remove these barriers (Plan), using the strategy of "If... then ...".
For example, you prepare for interviewYou want to make an impression on a potential employer and get the job done.
- First you formulate the goal: "I want to be the employer was impressed with my skills, industry knowledge, charisma and desire to work."
- Then visualize a positive outcome. Can you imagine that you feel relaxed, calmly telling who you are and what you want from work. You imagine the positive reaction of the employer.
- Can you imagine the possible problems, and remember the bad interviews, during which something prevented you to show their best side. Weighing past failures, you know that the main problem - lack of confidence.
- You formulate a plan. You can say: "If during the interview time, I feel insecure, I remind myself that I'm smart enough, and I know the field of activity is better than anyone else."
Application WOOP method is not limited to the professional field. This strategy helps to develop skills time managementStart to play sports, to lose weight, travel more, to improve relations with loved ones, to overcome depression.
Output
To achieve their goals, feel free to use WOOP method. The more you do it, the easier it will be to cope with the challenges that life throws up. Over time, this exercise will give you very easily.
Woop - it is not a substitute for positive thinking. You can continue to use the latest, when you need to get a short-term positive effect. In particularly critical situations, just need to cheer up and to experience positive emotions.
But to really move forward, we must focus not only on the positive aspects of life. You must also be aware of the difficulties and obstacles that you may encounter.