Possibility Thinking
Are you a glass half-full type of person or a glass half-empty?
I will admit that looking at the negative side of things first comes naturally to me, but with time and a bit of effort, I can come around to looking at the positive side. Can you relate?
Our minds are powerful and what we think affects us physically, emotionally and mentally which is why possibility thinking is important. This type of thinking is creative, helping us look for options, solutions or actions in a situation, rather than looking solely at the negative side and possibly shutting down any potential good ideas.
In 2022, I learned two specific principles regarding possibility thinking and they have stayed with me ever since.
Principle #1 – “Even though…I will…”
This principle comes from Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”
This is a principle that we can apply to our lives on a daily basis in almost any situation.
For example, “Even though I was hurt, I will forgive.” “Even though I failed, I will try again.” “Even though I made a mistake, I will correct it.” “Even though it wasn’t my fault, I will do what I can to help the situation.”
“Even though…I will…” is possibility thinking that moves us forward.
Principle #2 – “Yes, A-N-D…”
This comes from Darren LaCroix, the 2001 Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking. He introduced me to the “Yes, A-N-D…” principle saying, “There’s a power to it when you can accept what happens in your life, accept that horrible thing, AND start doing something about it. It’s empowering. Train your brain to think, ‘Yes, A-N-D…’ When you have frustrations, it is empowering to respond with, ‘Yes, A-N-D…’”
For example, “Yes, I fell down, A-N-D I will get up.” “Yes, I ran that stop sign A-N-D I will pay the ticket the officer gave me.” “Yes, I am upset, A-N-D and I will take a walk around the block to calm myself.”
“Yes, A-N-D…” removes the negative word “but” from the equation and turns a negative into a positive encouraging possibility thinking and positive action.
How can you incorporate “Even though…I will…” and “Yes, A-N-D…” into your life, training your brain to think in terms of possibilities?”
Recommended Resources
- Article by John Maxwell – “Possibility Thinking, Part One” - https://www.johnmaxwell.com/blog/possibility-thinking-part-one/
- Article by John Maxwell – “Possibility Thinking, Part Two” - https://www.johnmaxwell.com/blog/possibility-thinking-part-two/
Monthly Challenge
- Reflect with a piece of paper: how would you define possibility thinking? What does it mean to you?
- Reflect with a piece of paper or a journal: think about three different situations you have in your life right now. Ask yourself, “Even though…I will…” and “Yes, A-N-D…” about each of them. Come up with one or two possibilities for each situation. What actions will you take?
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