Scared Straight — The Power of Negative Thinking

You’re probably aware of the power of positive thinking and The Secret — philosophies that promise to deliver your innermost desires to your doorstep simply by looking on the sunny side of life. And indeed, having a positive outlook and compelling vision for the future can certainly enhance motivation. But what if we took a quick trip over to the dark side to see if visualizing negative outcomes could also help us achieve sought-after goals.

Have you ever watched an episode of Hoarders and decided to finally clean out your garage? Or been inspired to change your diet after a health scare? Or gotten an unexpected tax bill which prompted you to start an emergency fund? If so, you might be able to use a dystopian vision of your future much in the same way, to drive you to take action in the hopes of avoiding a potential calamity. Advertisers have long recognized the power of fear appeals in persuasive communication strategies.

“And why would I want to do this to myself?” you may ask. Well, firstly, you might not. But for some, it can serve as motivation to take decisive action now in order to avoid later pain and suffering. It’s important during this process to stay focused on actionable steps you take could to mitigate the risks you’re concerned about to increase the likelihood positive behavioral change and not just generate free-form anxiety.

If for example your issue is poor diet, project out what that might mean for your mental and physical health in 5, 10, 20 and 30 years. What will a decade of unhealthy eating do to your body? Projecting out to the future while focusing on a behavior magnifies its impact — good or bad. Five extra pounds now can be 30 later. Stiff joints now can degenerate to compromised mobility in your later years. And minor ailments can become major health issues.

To what degree you may find negative vs. positive thinking motivating can depend on your personality. For some people, the fear of loss can be more powerful than the desire for gain. For others, however, this technique can trigger excessive anxiety, worry and increase overall pessimism. If this is the case for you, then just stay positive.

Vision statements or vision boards don’t work due to the law of attraction, The Secret, or any kind of woo-woo type of magic. They’re only effective when they assist you in harnessing your focus, emotions, beliefs and most importantly — your behavior. And depending on your psychological makeup, sometimes, a little scare with some negative thinking might be exactly what you need to get yourself moving in a positive direction!

 

Source

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Positive_Thinking