Positive thinking causes more problems than it solves. You think positive, you fail to anticipate problems, you do foolish things. Negative thinking is not the solution either. The negative thinker would believe that our problems are too much for us to solve, which is untrue. The solution is real thinking, where we analyze the conditions and put into place rightful solutions to our problems.

This simplifies the idea of thinking to a point that is not real. I consider myself a positive thinker--even read The Power of Positive Thinking by Peale back in my teens and have always strove for optimism. However, this does not take away the reality of facing problems. A realist can be a positive thinker if you believe reality extends to an energetic force. For example, I am flying tonight--a complicated flight plan with three dogs across three continents--many things might go wrong. I have planned for the potential problems, but I am also choosing to think positively--to put out to the universe that everything is going to go swimmingly. I actually will take the time to meditate today and visualize the plans going perfectly, so as to send that energy and possibility out to the world. And if it doesn't? I will be the more calm and rational to deal with the problems that arise.