Positive thinking, man, it’s been my lifeline lately, curled up in this tiny Brooklyn studio with the radiator clanking like it’s got opinions, rain smacking the fire escape outside, that wet-concrete smell sneaking in every time the window fogs. I’m nursing this chipped mug of coffee—third refill, tastes like regret and burnt toast—and staring at my laptop like it owes me money. As a random dude in the US, just trying not to lose it on a Thursday in October, I have to say, this whole success mindset thing? It’s messy, it’s not Instagram-perfect, but damn if it hasn’t dragged me out of a few pits.
Like, remember that time I ghosted my own birthday party because I was so deep in “I’m a failure” sauce? Yeah, me too. embarrassing. But I flipped it—told myself “okay, you’re a mess, but tomorrow you start fresh”—and somehow ended up launching that side hustle I’d been procrastinating on for a year. high-fived my reflection like an idiot. Whatever works, right?
Why positive thinking actually builds a success mindset (no fluff)
Look, I’m not here to sell you rainbows. Positive thinking isn’t magic—it’s just rewiring the doom loop in your skull. I used to wake up, check my bank app, and spiral: “cool, I’m broke, life’s over.” Now? I mutter, “Alright, what’s one thing I can do today?” while scraping toast crumbs off my hoodie. sounds dumb, feels awkward, but it works. Science backs it, too—Mayo Clinic says it cuts stress, boosts immunity, all that. I felt it when I had that flu last winter, everyone at work was dying for days, I was back in three because I kept telling myself “body’s got this, chill.” My coworker? still milking it a week later, sending sad face emojis in Slack.
And yeah, sometimes it feels fake. like I’m gaslighting myself. “Everything’s fine!” while my sink’s full of dishes and my inbox is screaming. But here’s the thing—positive thinking doesn’t mean ignoring the trash fire. It means not letting it burn the whole house down.
My half-assed guide to positive thinking for a success mindset
Alright, real talk—here’s what I actually do. no 10-step programs, just stuff that stuck because I’m lazy and impatient:
- Morning mumble: while brushing teeth, I grunt three things I’m not totally sucking at. “I didn’t burn the toast. I answered that email. I didn’t yell at the subway rat.” Baby steps.
- failure = data: bombed a client pitch? cool, what sucked, what didn’t. I once wore two different shoes to a meeting—one black, the other brown. The client laughed; the deal was still closed. Positive thinking turned a cringeworthy moment into a story.
- gratitude but make it gritty: not “I’m thankful for sunshine,” more like “glad the bodega guy didn’t charge me for that stale bagel.” keeps it real.
- People’s diet: I muted the doomscrollers. followed people who actually do stuff. Their wins don’t trigger me anymore—they just remind me it’s possible.
Oh, and Johns Hopkins says positive thinkers handle pain better. I stubbed my toe so hard last week I saw stars, but laughed because “at least I’m awake now.” See? works.
How positive thinking got me to actually achieve goals (kinda)
Harvard’s got research on how positivity builds resilience—I lean into my strengths, like being too stubborn to quit forever. But let’s not pretend I don’t still doomscroll at 2am or eat cold pizza for breakfast. balance.
Mark Manson says success is about choosing your struggle. I chose “keep showing up” over “give up and hate myself.” Most days, anyway.
Yeah, okay, I’m done rambling about positive thinking and a success mindset.
So yeah, positive thinking? try it. Pick one dumb thing tomorrow and tell yourself, “I got this,” even if you don’t believe it yet. Then tell me how it goes—comment, dm, carrier pigeon, whatever. And if this post had typos or jumped around, blame the radiator. It’s loud. peace.
