Steps of positive thinking, steps of negative thinking—you take one or the other every day. Which steps do you think take you toward what you want? That’s a no-brainer question, isn’t it? Positive thinking will take you toward more positive experiences. So of course you want to take steps of positive thinking.

But the steps  are many, and not all steps of are as effective as others. Since positive thinking doesn’t come naturally to most of us, it takes concentration to do them. Why take more steps  than you need to?

You can follow complicated systems to reprogram your mind for positive thinking or you can keep it simple. When you keep it simple, your efforts will have a much greater impact on your life. I’ve developed two steps that are such powerful steps that they actually can’t even be called steps. A more accurate description would be leaps of positive thinking.

Here are the two steps , or leaps, you must make if you want to create positive experiences in your life.

1. Always keep your mental focus on what you want. Before every action you take, spend a couple seconds seeing yourself getting the results you want from that action.

For example, if you’re heading to the grocery store, think about how short the lines will be. Think of how easily and quickly you’ll do your shopping. DON’T think about how there won’t be long lines.

A common  mistake is thinking things like this:

--I won’t get caught in traffic.

--The doctor won’t find anything wrong with me.

--My boyfriend won’t break up with me.

These sorts of thoughts are NOT positive thinking. They’re negative thinking wearing positive thinking disguises.

True positive thinking is:

--Traffic will flow smoothly, and I’ll get where I’m going on time.

--The doctor will say I’m perfectly healthy.

--My boyfriend loves me and wants to be with me.

Do you see the difference?

2. Keep your thoughts on what you CAN do and have, not on what you can’t do and have.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that positive thinking is seeing the “bright side” of situations. They say they can’t get the job they want, but that’s okay because it’s probably for the best.

“For the best” is a cop out.

When you say something is for the best, you’re saying you can’t have it but that’s okay.

Why not think you can have it, just maybe not today?

Thoughts of can are the biggest leaps you can take toward the life you want.