The Power of Positive Thinking Happiness," published in 1950, and "Inspiring Messages for Daily Living", published in 1955. "The Power of Positive Thinking" appeared at a time when Christian church attendance was drastically increasing, national views of spirituality, individuality, and religion were shifting, and the Cold War was a growing concern for many Americans. These factors, as well as Peale's growing popularity as a motivational public figure and the book's clear prose, propelled "The Power of Positive Thinking" into a self-help book still popular today. Peale begins by stating ten rules for “overcoming inadequacy attitudes and learning to practice faith”. The rules include the following:
The Power of Positive Thinking picture yourself as succeeding, think a positive thought to drown out a negative thought, minimize obstacles, do not attempt to copy others, repeat “If God be for us, who can be against us?” ten times every day, work with a counselor, repeat “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” ten times every day, develop a strong self-respect, affirm that you are in God's hands, and believe that you receive power from God. The next chapter describes the importance of creating a peaceful mind, which can be done through inspirational reading, clearing one's mind, or visualization. Peale continues