What is Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut?
The first time that I heard of Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut was in September of 2013.
The speaker was telling the jam-packed audience that if you think good thoughts, then good things will happen.
I was confused, not because the idea was so foreign, but because I never expected these words and the idea of tracht gut vet zein gut to come from the speaker.
The speaker was, in fact, a Rabbi and my experience had not been one of a Rabbi giving a talk on positive thinking.
But this was a new experience and frankly refreshing.
Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut is a Yiddish Expression
Once you understand that Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut is Yiddish, now you will have an easier time in the translation.
Yiddish is a plus thousand-year-old language which originated with the Ashkenazi Jews in the 9th century.
Yiddish is based on German and written using Hebrew script.
- Tracht in Yiddish means Think.
- Gut means Good.
- Vet Zein means Will Be.
- Gut is Good.
Therefore, tracht gut vet zein gut can be translated at it's most basic level as ‘Think Good, It Will Be Good'.
The Surprise of Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut
Before knowing about Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut, the most famous Yiddish expression that I was familiar with was Kvetch.
There are hundreds of expressions in every language, but being a Kvetch, a whiner, a complainer, was much more familiar.
Kvetching was something of an art form and could even be employed in a Rabbinical sermon.
Your mom kvetched why are you not being a good boychik, a good boy.
You kvetched cause there are no more Oreos.
Your grandma kvetched that you are getting too fat.
Your Rabbi kvetched that you are not religious enough.
Your aunt kvetched that you are too religious.
Your uncle kvetched about how terrible the world is.
Who is not kvetching?
You might have grown up thinking that kvetching is a Jewish art form.
Perhaps kvetching is a human art form.
Imagine my surprise when I heard a Rabbi teaching the opposite; Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut is the essential part of traditional Jewish wisdom that a person should use, not kvetching.
Think Good and it Will Be Good.
If we want to change our life, we have to start with our thoughts.
An Example of Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut
While he was speaking about many examples of people who had overcome various misfortunes by using Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut, I started to daydream a bit.
At that time, I began to imagine, to think of some good scenes in my mind.
I imagined that I would get married in the hall where I first heard this expression.
On face value, the idea of getting married after having been single for so long did not seem possible.
But why not think good?
How about not whining, complaining, kvetching and instead thinking the good thoughts that I really wanted.
I visualized getting married in that very hall where I was hearing the words tracht gut vet zein gut.
Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut is not Natural
At least not for me or many people that I know.
True, there are a few people that I can think of who are usually on the positive side of life.
There are so many though who are not.
Why would there be so many shrinks in New York City if this was not the case?
Is thinking good natural for you?
Tracht gut vet zein gut did not come naturally to me, but because I had already been employing the concepts and actions of Hashi Mashi, this concept resonated with me.
I knew that positive affirmations were working, I did not know that the idea of revolutionizing our lives with thoughts could be found in Yiddish as well, the language which I had mainly associated with Kvetching.
Make Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut the Default
I admit, I can be a real kvetch.
I can speak from experience that in the case of kvetching versus tracht gut vet zein gut:
Tracht gut vet zein gut wins.
Thinking good wins because no matter what the results are of your thoughts, at least, you will be feeling good while thinking.
Thinking good thoughts is going to make your life smoother.
Thinking good thoughts is going to motivate you to stay on the best path for yourself.
Thinking good thoughts is going to help fuel your direction and accomplishments.
If you are going to think at all, why not tracht gut?
The cost of thoughts in your mind is nothing, probably the least energy expended of anything that you will do today, so why not think the best thoughts possible?
Practice makes perfect, which makes tracht gut vet zein gut an excellent practice.
A year and a half later from when I first heard the words Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut, I did get married to the love of my life, in that very same hall, at the very spot where I had imagined the wedding taking place.
Was it because I was thinking those thoughts that it happened?
Frankly, it does not matter.
What matters is the quality of our lives on a day to day basis.
Either we are thinking powerful and motivating thoughts or we are not.
If we are going to spend time thinking at all, tracht gut vet zein gut is a wonderful place to start.
Here is an infographic from Brian Tracy for a quick start to thinking good thoughts:
Try a 7-day Mental Diet of Good Thinking
What is your Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut Story?
Can you share situations where you thought, imagined certain events taking place and they did?
Thanks for sharing!
Ben Isaac is the author of