The Power of Optimism

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful...!
Review: ... I have found this book is such an amazing one. Doctor McGinnis is such a wonderful psychiatrist. Listenning to his audiobooks made me feel delighted, more positive about my life and everything around me. I just wanted to say "Thanks" to him. I have learned much from it. Everything that he mentioned and taught was not only for depressed individuals but for the optimistic persons as well. I hope he could continue to write books and have more audiobooks available for all of us.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Material
Review: Accomplishing goals, living a worthwhile life, and getting along with other people are all part of McGinnis' stragetgy for living abundantly. Optimism is an intangible force that has practical consequences. McGinnis describes it as a "can-do" philosophy. A quote he takes from William James brings the theme of individual control out even more when he writes "The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind." McGinnis argues that this mind-set can result in people being elevated to the top of their fields. In part this is because activity results when people are optimistic. Without action entropy causes a system to break down. It is through active involvement that entropy is successfully overcome. Activity is stimulated as optimists create and maintain synergy with like minded associates. Reading is another form of stiumlation found among this group. Even more important than relationship maintainence and good reading, McGinnis stresses the importance of prayer. Optimistic achievers are perpetually young regardless of their chronological years he points out because "regardless of their age, they have a stubborn belief that their personal best is yet to be." More good news is reported in that optimism can be leaded. He says he read almost a thousand biographies and analyzed the lives of many successful people before drawing the conclusions he makes in this wonderful book. I highly recommend it.