by Alwin Templar

Created on: July 18, 2009   Last Updated: July 19, 2009

Personal growth is something of a collective obsession these days. It seems that our craving for self-improvement techniques has made latter-day 49ers of us all, but instead of heading out to old Californee with a pick and a shovel and a head full of dreams, we flock to the book store to dream of the riches offered by that modern seam of unlikely promise: the self-help shelf. There is always a large number of titles to choose from, though most are variations on a familiar old theme: the power of positive thinking. If only we can believe strongly enough in our dreams, they will come true. If only life were that simple.

There is no doubt that a positive attitude to life is vital if we are to live effectively and happily. When we see problems as opportunities to learn and evolve rather than obstacles to happiness, then we will truly derive meaning from our lives. Life is full of possibilities, even amid the most unfortunate of circumstances. When we live life positively we do so with our eyes wide open and are more likely to spot our opportunities when they come along. But we must at all times be realistic and honest with ourselves.

Problems come when we take our positive attitude a stage too far, beyond the realm of reason, and turn it into a charismatic belief-system whereby we believe we can achieve our goals simply by scrunching our faces up tightly and manically repeating our mantra: I will succeed. I will.. I will. Combine such an approach with an unhealthy dose of wish-fulfillment and we have a recipe for disappointment. We will also waste much of our time chasing pipe-dreams rather than applying ourselves to what is real and what needs to be dealt with.

All problems have solutions. It may take us a while to recognize them, but solutions are always there. However, we must accept that sometimes the solution to a problem is to simply back off and leave well alone. In other words, we must be realistic enough to see that life and the problems it presents will not always obligingly adapt to suit us. We must adapt ourselves to suit circumstances and if circumstances dictate that we must change course, then we must do so, even if that leaves us further away from our goal.

Positive thinking taken to an extreme level becomes delusion, and delusion blinds us to all real possibilities in life. Problems need not be a hindrance to us, however great they may be, if we recognize their reality and the fact that they may be immovable obstacles on a path we want to travel;

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