Positive thinking – one prerequisite and two key techniques that get things done

How nice it would be if I could meditate more often. How nice it would be if I could eat better. Exercise more. Drink less. Be kinder...

I am definitely going to meditate more often. I am definitely going to eat better. Exercise more. Drink less. Be kinder...

Two paragraphs. Two simple demonstrations of the differences between aspiration and intention. 

Aspiration is the wish to do something. “Wouldn’t it be nice if I could...”

Intention is all about how much energy you are prepared to put into doing whatever you set your mind on. “I am definitely going to do all I can to accomplish... “

Positive thinking. We all value it and know its importance in every aspect of our lives. And for it to work for us, there is an essential pre-requisite, and then two powerful ways I know that explain how to “do it”, but first

Thought for the day

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, 

The chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. 

Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, 

There is one elementary truth 

The ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: 

That the moment one definitely commits oneself, 

Then providence moves too.


All sorts of things occur to help one 

That would never otherwise have occurred. 

A whole stream of events issues from the decision, 

Raising in one's favour all manner 


Of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance 

Which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

William Murray


NOTE This whole quote is often attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, however, it was actually written by Murray at the start of the 1961 Scottish Himalayan Expedition.

I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:


“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. 

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”

The crucial starting point – advancing from aspiration to intention

Aspiration. 

We say: “I hope it will happen.” “It would be nice it will happen.” “With a bit of luck it might happen...” Aspiration is an important starting point – it is where a good idea begins to formulate. However, if it remains at that level, whether it happens or not is probably more to do with chance than Positive Thinking. 
To get things done we need a strong intention.

My take on positive thinking is that it is all to do with understanding how our thinking mind works, and using it intelligently. 

The Oxford dictionary defines mind as being “the seat of perception, thinking, volition and feeling”. 

A very instructive definition. 

Now, we hear a good deal about perception, thinking and feeling. 

But then there is volition. 

Do not hear much about that! 

Volition is our will, our determination, our resolve – our intention. Without it nothing gets done. Without it we are left vulnerable to all sorts of outer and inner conflicts.

With our volition active, with our resolve in hand, there is clarity, there is commitment and confidence. With resolve there is the energy to follow through amidst all manner of challenges, obstacles, successes and failures; there is the energy to accomplish just about anything. Resolve. Volition. Intention.

Now the Positive Thinking techniques 

There are two useful ways of explaining how to put positive thinking into action. 

My own preference 

Three Principles of Positive Thinking:

1. Have a clear goal

2. Do whatever it takes (to accomplish that goal)

3. Choose to enjoy doing it.

The other that is often used in sporting and business circles is more instructive when it comes to resolve. 

This approach is based upon clarifying 4 steps:

The Four Steps of Positive Thinking: 

What, Why, How and How much? 

What do you intend to do? 

Why do you intend to do it? 

How do you intend to do it? 

How much do you want to do it?

This last point is the key to resolve. How much do you want to do something? Is this a casual business? If it happens it would be nice, or if not, no big deal? 

Or is this endeavour a matter of life and death? 

I must say over the years it has amazed me to observe the number of people who when faced with a life threatening condition like cancer remain casual. Others are more like how I was when acutely ill 50 years ago; my recovery was based on a life or death commitment. 

My resolve, my strong intention, was that during my recovery nothing was more important than getting well. Everything I did for several years had to satisfy the basic question - is this good for my health? My recovery? Of course that included having fun, but it also made it easy to fore-go many things, and to do stuff that was not always as “easy” as it may have seemed on the surface.

I have seen this same level of intention in business, in study, in sport, in music and in the intention to become a better person. A strong intention is the secret to positive thinking, to bringing into reality our good aspirations.

So how important are the things you aspire to? 

How strong is your resolve, your intention???

Finally, the Dalai Lama has something useful to say on this: 

“If an individual were to make conscious intention to live his or her life with a sense of purpose, live it in a good way, then the ripple effect of that really spreads. First, from the individual to the family, then to the community… and so on. This is how society gets changed and effected.

“When we talk about the transformation of society, the transformation really has to start from the individual, from inside to outwards.”

More details 

My book : The Mind that Changes Everything

Download: Mind Training - Using the Power of your Mind

Join us on the Meditation Community - an inclusive, online space to learn, practice and deepen your meditation with daily live guided practices and much more...

What to do when your meditation is not working - Four real possibilities

Let’s face it. Meditation is wonderful, yet there are times when it can seem to be overwhelmed. So much noise around us these days. So many distractions; discord, divisions, uncertainty... Internationally, locally, within workplaces and schools, families and friends. Often it does seem we are caught up in some sort of wild storm.

So this was the motivation to present the latest online workshop coming soon - this Thursday 18th June 7.30 – 9.00pm AEST, and to write something more about what we can do to regain the peace and clarity meditation really does offer, but first

 

  Thought for the day

Somebody once went to interview His Holiness Dalai Lama. 

On the way they saw somebody beating a mangy dog, 

And they told this story to him 

While asking what compassion was about. 

He said “True compassion is when you can feel 

As much empathy, compassion and love 

For the person who was beating the dog 

As you do for the dog itself.”

So when it feels like the storm is raging – either around about us outside, or within our own mind – we need something strong enough to cut through all the noise and distractions; something strong enough it will enable us to regain that inner peace and clarity.

Happily, there is something that strong; something that has proven reliable for many, many people. 

The key principle is the use of concentration, and more specifically, mindfulness. We very deliberately chose to focus our full attention on one particular thing. By doing so, by focusing our attention, there is no room to think of anything else. Our mind becomes fully preoccupied with what we concentrate upon. And then we let go of any commentary or judgement; and the practice becomes mindfulness. 

As we do this, the mind reliably settles, we experience a moment of peace; and then we extend that. We extend it both in our formal practice, and we use the same principle to carry the peace and clarity into our daily lives. Easy in theory, and it works in practice!

Now, when it comes to the practical question of how do we actually do this, the answer is relatively simple. 

We have a choice of 4 key techniques. 

The recommendation is to experiment with each one of them until you decide which is the best fit for you.

Then practice that technique until you become really familiar with it. 

That will provide you with a reliable “go to” technique in times of need; or you may find it helpful to use this technique as a regular part of your practice. 

Here are the four techniques; they are all simple yet profound, and for those attending the workshop, I will provide more details and guide the practice of each one:

1. Counting the Breath. Here you count the outbreath in cycles of ten. If you lose count or become distracted, you simply come back to one and start again. This exercise, along with others, is on my download Deepening Your Meditation. Here, I am accompanied by Marshall Whyler, a world-renowned didgeridoo player from the Northern Territory. 

Marshall uses the deep, melodic and meditative sounds of this ancient instrument to add another dimension to the practice. This makes for a profound technique that focuses concentration using mindfulness of sound. https://www.iangawlerwebstore.com/product/deepening-your-meditation-digital/ 

2. Focus upon an object. Here we recommend a candle or an object that inspires you. Have the object about .5 to 1.0m away and a bit below eye level. Then give the object your full attention.

3. Use a Mantra. Here you say quietly to yourself on the in-breathe, as you imagine breathing it in – Peace; then on the out-breathe – Love.

4. Guided Imagery. Here we imagine a place where we feel particularly peaceful and comfortable – either a place we have been to before, or an imaginary place. We imagine we are in this place, and rest quietly... 

A similar exercise, The Journey of Transformation is available as a download, or as a recording on The Meditation Community, free to members.

https://www.iangawlerwebstore.com/product/mind-body-medicine-cd/ 

The Meditation Community: https://www.skool.com/themeditationcommunity 

Join me for the workshop - Thursday 18th June 2026, 7.30 - 9.00pm AEST. 

CLICK HERE :)

The recording of the workshop will be available to Premium Members of The Meditation Community.

Wishing you a steady deepening of your meditation practice, along with a long and happy life...