I've never read the "Power of Positive Thinking", but I was always suspicious of it.
actually, any "think" if not done right or if too broad, can screw you up.
For example, if you install a heavy "be positive!" mantra, then when you are a battered wife, you could easily abuse that to keep yourself stuck.
but, I guess, on the other hand, positive thinking could be used by the battered wife to think of all the positives that could be gleaned by leaving her husband.
anyway, I'm not really trying to rag on positive thinking.
What I'm trying to emphasize is Seligman's version of optimism, which is a tweak in your biases.
Optimism, in his definition, is based on a 2x2 matrix.
(pervasiveness and permanence) multiplied by (good and bad).
permanence has to do with how permanent the good or bad event happened. In the case you get high marks on a test, your bias should naturally be, "I am now getting it" rather than "oh, I studied well last night"
and as for pervasiveness, you should take it personal that you did well on the test. You should say stuff like, "I did well on that test because I am a smart person" rather than saying, "oh, I am good at taking tests" or "I studied well"
Now, if a bad thing occurs to you, you want to do the opposite.
If someone disses you, you shold consider it temporary, "he was in a bad mood" rather than, "he hates me" and you should consider it specific and not universal, "he gets upset at me when I do this" rather than "he is an angry person in general" or "people hate me in general"
hmm, as I'm saying this though, I'm like, "but.. but.. but..." but the thing is, why have the opposite bias... which is what I have.. .when problems happen to me, I approach them as if they are permanent and indicative of a whole swath of problems in me.
but why have that bias??? Why have any bias??? unfortunately, you cannot exscape bias when you have incomplete information--which is usually the case--so you might as well retool your bias to serve your needs.
