“Positive thinking” sometimes gets a bad rap. The cynics and the naysayers dismiss it as “pie-in-the-sky”.the-sky, head in-theUnrealistic thinking, -clouds
Yet, when you study history’s top achievers in sports (and business), you find again and again that they are committed to positive thinking. There’s only one reason for that commitment: they’ve discovered that it works.
Research has shown that positive thinkers are happier than pessimists. They live longer, are healthier, have more energy and make better career decisions.
I’ve found that there are many. ofPeople who are skeptical the power ofNegative thinking can lead to misinterpretation of what positive thinking really is.
It’s important to recognize that positive thinking is NOT the idea that you’ll never encounter any obstacles as long as you stay positive. Instead, Positive thinking is about your response to situations theThere will be obstacles that you’ll most likely encounter.
It’s whether you respond to adversity positively or negatively that makes theThere is a difference in your life.
These are the details 20 of my favorite motivational quotes about the power ofPositive thinking. Each one ofThey are from one of the sports world’s top achievers. These quotes summarize what it means to be an optimistic thinker. They also explain why positive thinking is so important.
1- “Things have a way of working themselves out if we just remain positive.” – Lou Holtz
This is the quote I need on theIt is located just above my desk so I can view it often throughout the day. theDay. It’s a constant reminder ofOne of life’s most important truths.
2- “I don’t think anything is unrealistic if you believe you can do it.” – Mike Ditka
Mike Ditka, an old-school, hardheaded Mike Ditka would never be confused with being a head in-chief.the-clouds, Pollyanna type ofcoach. Iron Mike was able to recognize just how powerful he was. theYour mind is what determines results. He was a goal-oriented person who refused to accept the limitations of others when it came to setting goals.
3- “I believe one ofOne of my strengths is my ability keep negative thoughts away. I am an optimist.” – John Wooden
The greatest coach ofJohn Wooden was the first to be recognized for his contributions throughout history. the power ofEarly in his career, he believed in optimism. He won 10 National Championships at UCLA because of it.
4- “Be positive. Your mind is far more powerful than what you believe. What is up in theWell is up in thebucket. Fill yourself with positive things.” – Tony Dungy
If you fill your mind with negativity, you shouldn’t be surprised when you experience a negative outlook onLife is precious. Be careful theType ofYou can fill your mind with news, music and movies.
5- “Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.” – Michael Jordan
Life is not about you, your beliefs, or your actions. Optimists know that they are able to see the positive in everything. theThese obstacles can be turned into opportunities. They discover thePositive in any negative situation they find and attack theA can-do, will-find-a-way mentality is a problem.
6- “Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you.” – Mary Lou Retton
PositivePeople who think positively remind themselves that any problem is temporary. Keep your eyes open for good things.
7- “Life’s battles don’t always go to theA stronger man can be faster than a slower one. But sooner or later, theMan who wins is the man who thinks he can.” – Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi was the one of theEarly proponents ofPsycho-Cybernetics is a positive-thinking book. His outlook on recognizing the world was influenced by those books. the power of theMind. He recognized that one’s inner-beliefs were more powerful than one’s perceived talent level.
8- “This is one of theThe most important message I want to convey to you: Be positive and optimistic. I’ll say it many times: if you can dream it, you can be it.” – John Calipari
Don’t put a limit onNo matter how positive you feel, you can be. PositivePeople are attracted to positive people who are enthusiastic and upbeat. Coach Cal believes his positive outlook and dream-big outlook are key to his success.
9- “I’m loud…but I’m positive. You don’t get anywhere by beating people down with negativity.” – Frank Martin
I like this quote because it’s a reminder that being a positive thinker doesn’t mean you always have to walk around with a forced smile onNo matter what, your face is always there on. Positive thinkers aren’t weak-minded pushovers. Being a positive thinker doesn’t mean that you can’t be demanding. It doesn’t mean that you can’t be a disciplinarian with high standards. Being a positive thinker means that you’re relentless. You believe that there’s always a way for you to improve and to move on.
10- “Your attitude is critical to success. If you expect things to be difficult, it will always be easier to solve problems, overcome adversity, and have an enthusiastic energy about how you go about and enjoy your work.” – Nick Saban
This is the summary of an important component ofPositive thinking. It would be absurd to expect all adversity. Optimists don’t pretend they can avoid all adversity; instead, they believe they have theThey have the power to overcome any adversity that comes their way.
11- “Promise yourself that you will talk health, happiness, and prosperity as often as possible.” – John Wooden
Never underestimate the power ofSelf-talk is key. Self-talk is a key to success.
12- “There’s nothing more important than attitude, and it’s YOUR choice.” – Mike Krzyzewski
Your attitude can be a choice. You have to accept responsibility theYou can think whatever thoughts you want. No matter what the situation onIt is up to YOU to decide if you want to be happy or sad. You get to decide what you want. theYour final outcome will be determined by the choices you make. While there are many things you can’t control in life, you have complete control of theMost important: Your attitude.
13- “Confidence is contagious. 13- “Confidence is contagious. of confidence.” – Vince Lombardi
Both optimism and confidence are closely connected and are highly contagious. Positive thinking is something you owe to others.
14- “The attitude a person develops is the most important ingredient in determining theLevel of success…People who are negatively conditioned accept defeat. People who are positive don’t.” – Pat Riley
PositiveThinkers don’t give up no matter what. theIt is a difficult situation. They believe there is a way out.
15- “At some point, you just have to decide you’re going to be confident. Then, as you do, you’re going to have more success.” – Mike Leach
People want to wait too often for something. ofExternal validation is necessary before one can believe in themselves. But it doesn’t work that way. Positive thinking is the key to success. You can set yourself. theYour thoughts should be positive. Start thinking positively if you want to see positive results.
16- “Do not allow negative thoughts to enter your mind for they are weeds that strangle confidence.” – Bruce Lee
This is an important reminder whenever you’re going through tough times. If you get down on yourself, wallow in self-pity, and go around with a negative, what’s-the-use outlook, you’re only delaying a positive turnaround. Be aware of negative thoughts. If you allow them to take control of your mind, they will.
17- “To be an overachiever you have to be an over-believer.” – Dabo Swinney
Massive success won’t fall into your lap. It doesn’t just happen to you. It is up to you to make the decision to do it. You can’t be afraid to dream BIG. ThinkingYou can only reach your full potential if you don’t take the right steps. While well-intentioned naysayers may tell you to be realistic about your goals, top achievers know that this is a fact. theSize of your belief determines theSize ofYour success.
18- “You gotta believe. It was because I believed it and I wanted it to be believed by my players. You gotta believe!” – Tommy Lasorda
Remember to be positive about your beliefs. Set your goals. theYour tone will determine what you achieve. If you don’t believe you can do it, you won’t. Each morning and throughout the day theEvery day, be reminded of how powerful your beliefs can make you feel. You gotta believe!
19- “Being what most people think is realistic is only a way ofNegative thinking is not a valid excuse. Go for something great.” – Dr. Bob Rotella
I love this quote by one of the world’s top sports psychologists. Realists are what cynics like to call themselves. However, it is important to ask if they are realistic in lowering their ambitions or trying to justify lower ambitions.
20- “If you put negative thoughts into your mind, you’re going to get negative results. It’s just as true that if you put positive thoughts in your mind, you will be a recipient of positive results.” – Lou Holtz
This sums it all. the power ofYour thinking. It won’t necessarily happen in an instant, but over thePositive thinking is a long-term strategy that leads to positive outcomes.
* For a powerful story on thePositive thinking can make a big difference in your life. Check out my bestselling book Relentless Optimism. How a commitment to positivity can change your life Positive ThinkingEverything changes.
