Is Positive Thinking A Waste Of Time?

Could thinking like CRAP be the secret towards becoming a better you?

- Andrew D. Wittman

In my line of work, positive thinking will get you killed faster than negative thinking will because it denies risk and is driven by emotions rather than by logic. And, this is true in every situation. So, instead of trying to always think positively, focus on how to always think critically—it’ll help you in all areas of your life. Here’s how to do it...

If you’ve ever played golf (or watched it often enough), you know that there’s a physical process for every stroke that includes factors related to grip, stance, body position and the mechanics of the swing. You can become a critical thinker by attaching this same golf-swing-like process to your decision-making. The ‘Golf Swing of Thinking’ is the four-step process through which you could run every thought. I call it thinking like CRAP—clarity, relevance, accuracy and precision. It’s funny, yes, but more important, it’s memorable.

STEP 1

CLARITY