Norman Vincent Peale’s Top 10 Positive Pearls of Wisdom
Written on June 10, 2008 by Tezza
This is a wonderful post written by Henrik at the Positivity Blog. I have read Peale’s book on “The Power of Positive Thinking” and thoroughly enjoyed it. Here are some of my favorite points from the post: Norman Vincent Peale’s Top 10 Positive Pearls of Wisdom.
Focus on today.
“Don’t take tomorrow to bed with you.” - Norman Vincent Peale
Focus on today by building “a habit of spending more time in the present and less time in imagined future scenarios or old memories.” You would probably be in shock if you were ever to take stock of how much time you spend daily daydreaming, fretting over things you can’t change and thinking about tomorrow. We all do it, the key is to be conscious of when you are doing it so that you can stop it and return back to the present. You may also “…do this through things like focusing on your breathing or on your inner body.”
Don’t go too fast.
“To go fast, row slowly.” - Norman Vincent Peale
This is such an Achilles heel especially for young men who want to conquer the world. They go at a million miles an hour trying to out achieve their compatriots. “It’s tempting to go fast…you may be tempted to grab on to the next big idea, the next “magic pill”, instead of steadily keep going on your current path. To actually get where you want to go a slower pace may be more useful and effective than a hurried and quick pace.”
While on the surface it seems counter intuitive to go slower if you want to progress faster, there is a ring of truth to the time old fable of the rabbit and the hare. We know that those who keep a constant state of progress done within their limits often achieve greater success and sustain it for longer periods of time than those who burst out of the blocks sprinting only to run out of juice before ever reaching the finish line.
Learn not only from your mistakes.
“We’ve all heard that we have to learn from our mistakes, but I think it’s more important to learn from successes. If you learn only from your mistakes, you are inclined to learn only errors.” – Norman Vincent Peale
“Our mistakes are interesting because they can often teach us something valuable if we just take a closer look at what happened. But, of course, the successes are really useful to analyze too…It is here we can find perhaps a crucial detail or something that we did that we missed the other 10 times we tried.” Success goes to those who are willing to pause and reflect on the successes and failures that have gotten them there. It is only through careful and meticulous reflection on one’s progress that you find what is working and what isn’t. To repeat what doesn’t work over and over again is just an exercise in mediocrity.
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Sweet stuff here!
these are wise words, Norman Vincent was a wise man.
“Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.”
Oscar Wilde quote
Nice quote, I like it. =)
Focus on Today probably makes the most sense for me. I sometimes spend a lot of time planning and not enough actually executing. Great post, definitely some wisdom in there.
Thanks for your comment.
I really liked the way to focus on today by spending more and more time and its really great to put it in action and it will be a wise theory to live on in present very well.
I feel better all ready. It seems to be all too easy to get stuck in the “mud” of the hustle of our every day life that we forget about the beauty of simplicity,and the grace in gratitude.
I genuinely liked the strategy to focus on right now by investing a growing number of time and its genuinely wonderful to place it in action and it’s going to be a wise theory to reside on in present really properly.
I really liked the strategy to concentrate on nowadays by investing more and more time and its really wonderful to place it in action and it’s going to be a wise theory to reside on in present extremely well.
I genuinely liked the method to concentrate on currently by investing increasingly more time and its definitely wonderful to place it in action and it is planning to be a wise theory to reside on in present very well.
That’s what we all need is postive thinking in the face of problems. It isn’t always easy when the burden seems to be too great but it is the best way to a solution.
That very Amazing information about Norman Vincent Peale
great idea dear.
Amazing post good idea..thanks for shearing..
Amazing pointers. His last point is the best, about learning from your successes too. Many people that find success fail to note down and remember the ingredients behind their recipe for success. So when they’re in need of success again, they struggle.
Isn’t it illogical, self-defeating and rather audacious to ask the students to evaluate their teachers?
The time-honoured pearls of eastern wisdom tell us that only a students having complete devotion to the teacher can acquire true knowledge; also, true knowledge gives modesty.
The evaluation of teachers by the students is an imported practice from the west, that too only in recent times- it is doing more damage to the students than benifitting them in any manner. Do you agree or you don’t?
Can a Pearl ring be worn by anyone and any sun sign ? My Indian friend told me to wear one to calm down myself
I’m not a big fan there’s nothing that stands out about him… Seems like he was a last minute character.
Those are some great pieces of advice from Norman Vincent. Particularly about taking time to take it all in and not rush through life. Life is all about the journey and not destination. Making yourself better by taking in everything you learn along the way is what it’s all about.
I find here good Vincent celebration suggestion.
I find here good Vincent celebration suggestion.keep it continue.
My boyfriend moved to the US just over a year ago for school. We’ve been together for about 3 months. Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom for a white girl dating an Indian guy?Thanks!
We all do it, the key is to be conscious of when you are doing it so that you can stop it and return back to the present.
Amazing pointers. His last point is the best, about learning from your successes too.
@hen: Just make sure you respect his culture and traditions as they are very particular about that. However, with the modern generation, a lot of those values aren’t maintained as rigidly as the older generation.
cus on today by spending more and more time and its really great to put it in action and it will be a wise theory to live !!
makes the most sense for me. I sometimes spend a lot of time planning and not !
I will right away seize your rss as I can not find your email subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly permit me know so that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
the same that will fight to keep a serial killer from getting the “blue juice” yet also fight for a woman to be able to have the brain sucked out of an innocent being.
Those truly are some great pearls of wisdom. Especially go slow, life moves to fast as it is, like someone once said, you need to stop and smell the roses sometimes.
the way your life goes is up to you. the way your life ends is up to fate.
Positive thinking, to me, is a skill. It’s something we have to (re)learn because the challenges of the world don’t encourage it to come naturally. Like any skill, if we want to become better at it, we have to learn the basics and start practicing. Norman Peale’s manifesto is the ideal handbook to assist.
Amaze! Thank you! I constantly wished to produce in my internet site a thing like that. Can I take element of the publish to my blog?
This is one of my all time favorite quotes. Certainly one to live by.
I appreciate the reminder about learning from your successes. Far too often we here the canned phrase: “learn for your mistakes.” While that advice does hold water, it’s more important to look for thepositive lesson in everything you do… success or failure.
Amazing motivational article!!!