Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside The New Sc... Apr 2026

: Fantasizing about success can lower systolic blood pressure, tricking the body into a state of relaxation and lethargy rather than the high-energy "fight" mode needed for action.

: By "mentally experiencing" the reward, we get the emotional payoff before doing the work, which often leads to complacency. Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Sc...

: Oettingen cites studies showing that people who fantasized most about weight loss or finding a job actually lost less weight and received fewer job offers than those with more realistic outlooks. The Solution: Mental Contrasting : Fantasizing about success can lower systolic blood