Last week I wrote about the first 3 of the Harry Potter books and movies, welcome to part 2 where I find the positive thinking messages in the final 4 books (5 movies), starting with the Goblet of Fire.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry and Cedric Diggory were both picked to represent Hogwarts in the Tri-Wizard tournament against two other magical schools.
Helping each other out
Before the first of the three challenges of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry received a tip off that there would be dragons involved. He could have kept this information to himself, but he chose to share it with Cedric Diggory, the other competitor from Hogwarts.
Harry did this just because he wanted to, and he was rewarded when Cedric returned the favour, telling him how he could hear the message from the golden egg.
Finding a way
When Harry was about to face the first challenge, he had no idea how he was going to survive the dragons, Mad Eye Moody asked him what his strengths are, “flying” replied Harry, “but I’m not allowed a broom”. “No, but you’re allowed a wand Harry”.
Mad Eye Moody, showed Harry that there is always a way. It might not be the obvious path to take, but If you look hard enough, and believe you’ll find it, you will. There is always a way.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
When the ministry decided to deny that ‘he who shall not be named’ is back the Order of the Phoenix was formed in secret and held their meeting at their headquarters – Sirus Blacks family home.
Showing your vulnerability
When Hermione wants to get the other students to let Harry teach them Defence against the Dark arts, due to the imminent threat of Voldemort, no-one was interested, as they didn’t believe the threat was real. He opened up about the things he’d seen and how terrible they were, his voice and his demeanour showed his vulnerability, they listened, they believed, they joined up for lessons.
Showing your vulnerabilities shows that you are authentic which in turn creates trust.
Share what you’ve learned, and enjoy seeing others succeed
Harry creates an army out of a bunch of (wizarding) school kids. Teaching and motivating them all into wizards that can hold their own when faced with the worst. He Started teaching because he knew what was coming and wanted them to be able to protect themselves. What he didn’t expect was to enjoy it so much. You can see the joy on his face as he witnesses Neville dis-arm another wizard for the first time and later as he is in a room full of patronus charms created by his fellow students.
Learn to control your thoughts
Harry has to learn to control his thoughts to stop letting Voldemort in to his mind. Whist most of us don’t have someone trying to penetrate our mind to find our weaknesses and plans, we do have the ability to control our thoughts. And not take on board other peoples negatives. When someone puts down your dreams and plans or is just plain rude about something you’re doing or the way you look, you have a choice whether you accept it into your own thoughts or let it go, knowing it is more about them than it is you.
When we find ourselves thinking nothing but negative thoughts, we can make the choice and the conscious effort to not think them and replace them with more positive thoughts. Positive thinking is far more productive and helpful to any situation than negative.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Harry borrows a book from the school cupboard, he found notes in the margins that he followed which helped him exceed in potions – the book (and notes) belonged to the mysterious half-blood Prince.
Mindset and Self-Belief
When Ron’s nerves got the better of him before his first Quiddich match, Harry fake spiked his drink with ‘Liquid Luck’ (which had been given by his professor for doing so well in class) – believing that he had drunk a potion that would guarantee his success, Ron’s self-belief skyrocketed! Ron became confident that he was going to have a great game and be a success on the pitch. Ron not only has a good game but became the hero of quiddich that afternoon.
Ron’s unstoppable mind-set was responsible for his success. He believed nothing could stop him from being the best player, so he walked out there knowing just how good he really was, no self-doubt, no nerves, no negative self-talk. Just pure confidence in himself. All because someone said they had seen Harry put the liquid luck in his drink and Harry didn’t deny it.
Our mindset is what leads us in what we say, what we see, what we do and how we do it, which is why a positive one will have such an impact on every aspect of your life.
Every single one of the lessons I have highlighted from the Harry Potter series is important and life changing, but none more than this one, get your mindset right and you can do anything, no liquid luck required!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Not sure of how to destroy it, and needing to keep it safe Harry, Ron and Hermione took it in turns to wear the necklace horcrux after Hermione noticing how both Harry and then Ron were being affected by it. Their mood changed, their attitude changed they became argumentative, negative, unsympathetic, selfish and very difficult to be around.
The horcrux is a 7th of Voldemorts soul, a wizard that is filled with hatred and evil. Just being around this small part of him was still having a profound effect on the wearer.
Yes we are back on to negative people and situations. People don’t have to be as evil and terrible as Voldemort to drain our energy.
But the fact this lesson is in here more than once could maybe show just how common it is for negative people to influence the mood of others. Remember the old saying – misery loves company, and it spreads fast.
The final part of the final book and the 8th movie sum up what Positive Thinking is all about for me:
1. Stand up for what you believe in, and be true to yourself.
2. Good always triumphs over evil in the end.
Thank you for letting me share my take on Harry Potter’s lessons of Positive Thinking, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
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