LIE NO. 2

THINKING POSITIVELY INCREASES MOTIVATION

You can do anything you want. Everything is possible if you believe. Yes, we can! Such statements echo through thousands of conference halls around the world. But more and more psychologists are growing very skeptical about this motivational mantra. “Positive imagination targets can undermine true motivation,” warns Thomas Langens, a psychologist at Germany’s University of Wuppertal. In fact, one study has shown: Candidates who had high expectations about their future after graduation filled out fewer job applications and received fewer offers than their pessimistic rivals. And: After two years the “optimists” were earning less than those without inflated expectations. The promised success enabled them to enjoy the desired future before it became a reality. That’s why Australian psychologist Joseph Forgas recommends allowing negative thoughts and making use of their power: “Negative sentiments frequently promote a style of thinking that can make people more attentive and adaptable.”