Rethinking Positive Thinking - Inside the New Science of Motivation

So often in our day-to-day lives we''re inundated with advice to "think positively." From pop music to political speeches to commercials, the general message is the same: look on the bright side, be optimistic in the face of adversity and focus on your dreams. And whether we''re trying to motivate ourselves to lose weight, get a promotion at work or run a marathon, we''re told time and time again that focusing on fulfilling our wishes will make them come true. Gabriele Oettingen draws on more than twenty years of research in the science of human motivation to reveal why the conventional wisdom falls short. The obstacles that we think prevent us from realising our deepest wishes can actually lead to their fulfilment. Starry-eyed dreaming isn''t all it''s cracked up to be and, as it turns out, dreamers are not often doers. While optimism can help us alleviate immediate suffering and persevere in challenging times, merely dreaming about the future actually makes people more frustrated and