Whether you are unhappy and struggling with serious problems or you just want to improve, discover, and explore new opportunities, this book will deepen your ideas about human motivation and help you boldly chart a new path ahead.
We’re inundated with advice to ‘think positively’ -but Gabriele Oettingen’s research in the science of human motivation reveals why that conventional wisdom falls short.
While optimism can help us alleviate immediate suffering a d persevere in challenging time, merely dreaming about the future actually makes people more frustrated and unhappy over the long term and less likely to achieve their goals.
Based on twenty years of research and large-scale studies, Oettingen introduces a new strategy called mental contrasting. It combines focusing on our dreams with visualizing the obstacles that stand in our way. By experiencing our dreams in our minds and facing reality we can address our fears, make concrete plans, and gain energy to take action.
Through mental contrasting, people in Oettingen’s studies have become significantly more motivated to quit smoking, lose weight, get better grades, sustain fulfilling relationships, and negotiate more effectively in business situations.
Whether you are unhappy and struggling with serious problems or you just want to improve, discover, and explore new opportunities, this book will deepen your ideas about human motivation and help you boldly chart a new path ahead.
‘Some kinds of positive thinking are beneficial, other kinds are downright dangerous, and Gabriele Oettingen has spent her career figuring out which are which. The fruits of her labor are deep, plentiful, and yours for the taking.’ Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness
‘In her smart, lucid book, Dr. Oettingen critically reexamines positive thinking and gives readers a more nuanced-and useful-understanding of motivation based on solid empirical evidence.’ Dr. Richard A. Friedman, The New York Times
‘How do you get from dreaming to doing? This exciting and important book shows you how to turn your dream into reality. You’ll be surprised at how thoroughly it overturns conventional wisdom.’ Carol S Dweck, author of Mindset
‘Gabriele Oettingen’s book is the single best guide to the power and consequences of these private thoughts. It will teach you nothing less than how to think better.’ PO Bronson, coauthor of Nurtureshouck and Top Dog
