The power of negative thinking

I've always found "the power of positive thinking" all too easy to dismiss. Paradoxically, I've also always easily accepted "the power of negative thinking:" I believe defeatism hastens defeat, and so those locker room rallies can really matter. But I also believe in an unconscious, and though I don't have a clear idea what it is, I think defeatism is a mental state that's simple enough for less than half a brain to muster. C'est voila: Paradox and new-agey marketing problem resolved. I'm now forced to admit that with respect to any goal I pursue I might just be handicapping myself unconsciously, and so optimism is just prudent practice. I think we ought to talk about this as the power of negative thinking is all.