A Synopsis of Chapters: The Power of Positive Thinking

Synopsis of Chapters

Chapter 1: Believe in Yourself

During this chapter, Peale describes his meeting with a business man in his late forties who tells him his concern of not achieving anything in life. He says “If I succeed, it means everything to me. If I fail, I am done for.” Peale tells him to calm down and that if he succeeds, great. If he fails, tomorrow is another day to try again. The man has very little disbelief in himself. Peale gives him a few words of prayer to repeat and shows him the brighter side of his situation, and in just a few weeks, the man is back on track and not gloomy.

Another man meets Peale, telling him how he used to be popular when he was younger, but now he is old and washed up. Peale sits and tells him that while he might not be the life of the party anymore, to think of all the things that he has achieved and DOES have. He and Peale make a list of “assets” that the man has in his life- a strong marriage with his wife, strong and supportive friends, loving children. The man realizes that he has a lot to be thankful for, and turns his life around.

I think that making a list to remind you of how good you are is a great idea…. People should do it more often. Sometimes all you need to get yourself out of a rut is a little reminder to yourself of what you have and…. Not to sound egotistical but how GREAT you are!

Chapter 2: A Peaceful Mind Generates Power

In this chapter, Peale helps a restless man find sleep by the help of prayer- and another man’s tip. The men begin talking about how they slept the previous night, and while one man barely slept, having heard trouble before closing his eyes, the other man slept soundly- he had read the same troubling news as the first man, but had given himself time to digest it, and then had prayed before bed. Peale talked to the man and prayed with him over the phone, explaining that it is best to relax before bed, rather than intercept troubling news.

A technique used in this chapter is a very good one- talk calmly and things will be calm. Talk about calming things and you will feel calm.  It’s actually very good- and true. When I talk about baking, or cool, relaxing place, I tend to feel calm and cool. However, when I am yelling about something stupid, like whether or not I should go outside, I tend to get hot under the collar and annoyed.

It makes sense- talk about good things, be in a good mood. Talk about crappy, pointless things and yell, be in a crappy mood.

Chapter 3: How to Have Constant Energy

Like our emotions have an effect on our mood, they also affect our energy levels. Have you ever had one of those days where you just feel entirely unproductive and like you have just sat around all day doing ABOSLUTELY NOTHING? According to Peale, it has to do with our outlook and attitude about the day.

If you convince yourself that you are tired, and aren’t going to get anything done, your brain will believe it after awhile. And once your brain believes that you ACTUALLY ARE tired, it sends signals to your muscles, and you wind up doing nothing all day but slouching around complaining. If you are going to send signals to your brain, make them productive ones at least.

The final technique taught in this chapter goes hand in hand with the first- if you start feeling your energy drain, remind yourself with a passage from the bible: “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” “Recharge” yourself with prayer- read the bible and calm yourself, then try working again.

Chapter 4: Try Prayer Power

This chapter basically goes over prayer, and how powerful it is… to the right person. Peale describes prayer as the most powerful thing in the universe- “You’re not using a kerosene lamp for illumination, you’re using the most up to date lighting when you pray.” He describes basically what he has been through in the previous chapters.

Prayer is refreshing, it digs you out of SO many ruts in life, it gives you strength, confidence and energy to live your life to the fullest… as long as you use it right and keep doing it.

Chapter 5: How to Create Your Own Happiness

Peale talks about the simplicity of happiness in this chapter- how easy it is to just- BE HAPPY. He talks of a television show host who has an old man on the show as a guest. The old man is very happy, and upon being asked why he is so happy, he responds with: “I just am. When I roll out of bed in the morning, I have a choice- to be happy or unhappy. And I choose to be happy.” That is literally as simple as it is too..

Happiness IS indeed a choice. Only we can cause our own feelings, and only we are in charge of them. Whether you decide upon happiness at the start of your day affects the outcome of your day- gloominess will give you a miserable day, while looking at things with a bit of light may give you are happier day. Once again- it all depends on YOUR perspective.

Peale asked his young daughter what made her happy. She replied: “I don’t know, I just am. My schoolmates make me happy, going to Sunday school makes me happy, being with my family and brothers and sister makes me happy.” Only such simple things are needed to be happy: Friends, family, prayer… not big things like money, or cars, or anything fancy. Just small things can make a day- like a beautiful sunset. It costs nothing but yet can mean everything.

Chapter 6: Stop Fuming and Fretting

We ALL have those days where EVERYTHING “sets us off”. Peale says that our emotions get the best of us and we act foolishly- fussing and, well, fuming over every little thing. Peale tells of taking a relaxing walk in the woods with his wife to let go off some of his troubles. Finding a quiet place, they sit down and relax, listening to nature when they are disrupted by young people walking through the woods blasting music on a radio.

Him and his wife were trying to enjoy nature and were interrupted by the group of young people. They were nice enough, but the music was annoying. Presently they carried on, leaving Peale and his wife to wonder why they didn’t just sit back and enjoy nature’s music- birds chirping, the wind whistling through the trees, the sounds in the faint distance…

Peale then tells of a trip to visit his son in New England, and how his wife pointed out beautiful sights that he sped by. He felt so guilty that he drove a mile back to enjoy the beautiful scenery with her. I think that the lesson in this chapter is- don’t waste your time being angry about little things… don’t waste beautiful moments in life. Life goes so fast, and we go with it, and if we don’t stop, we miss all of the best sights… kind of like Peale. The only difference is, you can’t go back.

Chapter 7: Expect the Best and Get it

In this chapter, Peale tells about expectations. Take me going into a tournament, for example… If I go into my tournament expecting to lose, it de-motivates me and triggers my brain (like in previous chapters). Then, by the time I am ready to compete, I have deflated myself SO much that I don’t give my performance my all, and end up losing because of it… so technically, if you expect the worst, you will get the worst.

However, expecting the best is a different story. Expecting the best doesn’t guarantee you’ll GET the best- it just gives you more hope and more incentive, which often times motivates you enough where you get the best anyway. The lesson taught in this chapter is what Peale calls “God’s Beauty Parlor”.

One day, a beautiful woman came to see Peale. She had a sharp attitude and a prim, tight face. She demanded an answer to her dilemma- she wished to be married. Peale talked with her for a bit, and finally gave her her answer. He told her she had to loosen up a bit- no man wanted to feel dominated. She also needed to lose the tightened lines in her face, which were not complimenting at all, and dress up a bit. She thanked him for his strange but thoughtful advice and left.

Some 12 years later after a speech, Peale was approached by a beautiful woman with a little boy and a husband on her arm. It was the very same woman Peale had helped so many years ago, and she was so changed that he didn’t even recognize her at first. She took his advice and lightened up a bit, and changed her appearance- and she soon found a husband and she now had a 10 year old boy. It just goes to show what a LITTLE change can do… and a little expectance.

Chapter 8: I Don’t Believe in Defeat

This is a very interesting and encouraging chapter- Peale tells the readers to let go of any challenges standing in their way, and not to think about them repeatedly and bring yourself down. He tells of a boy with a very smart mother who strives for her son to be intelligent like her… but gets annoyed when he doesn’t get good grades.

The boy tells Peale how he stresses constantly over tests and assignments, brought down by his low self esteem and his mother’s harsh words. Peale tells the boy to forget all about the criticism and ignore all the barriers blocking him from good grades- just say a prayer before a test or exam and after to help. The boy, after practicing what Peale told him for a few weeks, got much better marks on his homework.

Honestly, it is good advice- if something is challenging you, go at it open mindedly! Don’t constantly think about how you can’t- because after all, can’t is only “can” with a t!

Chapter 9: How to Break the Worry Habit

In this chapter, Peale teaches you how to handle worry. He describes worry as “just a bad habit”, and habits can be as easily broken as they are to fall into. This habit is actually deadly- tests have been done, and it is shown that people who worry too much tend to live shorter lives than people who have learned to let go of all their troubles.

Surveys have also showed that churchgoers and married couples live longer too… I guess that having a partner to ease your worries takes them away, little by little, and if that doesn’t work, just give your troubles to the Lord! Peale’s method in this chapter is quite simple: Picture yourself in your head with no worries. Clear your mind of any stress, and imagine yourself as having no worries at all.

But your mind will not stay worry-free for a very long time, so you must fill it with something else- prayer and words of the Lord. Pray and let your troubles go free- and live a worry-free life.

Chapter 10: Power to Solve Personal Problems

Peale tells in this chapter of a successful business man and his wife. The man, Bill, was very successful and was at the top of the ladder in his company below the president, and was very happy- but then a new president took his place. The new president was quite different from the old one, and had different rules.

Peale had dinner with the family- the wife was FUMING over the switch, while Bill was quiet about it and not too troubled. Peale suggested that they give their troubles to the Lord, and sit in prayer for a minute about the situation. They prayed, and just a few months later, things got better. Bill liked the new president better than the old one, and his wife got to being friends with the president’s wife.

3 years later, Peale received a call from Bill’s wife, excited as could be- the old president had retired and in his place, Bill was going to be the new president! They all got together once more in prayer and thanked God for all he had done to help them… Basically, if you truly pray and believe, God WILL help you… though it may not be right away.

This draws to a close my paper… Norman Vincent Peale was a wonderful man with a great faith and a great mind. He helped many in his lifetime and through his writings is still helping people today. I would definitely recommend the Power of Positive Thinking to an avid reader and/or prayer.

Maddie