Wishful thinking is the formation of beliefs according to what might be pleasing to imagine instead of by appealing to rationality.

Wishful Thinking may also refer to:

Music

Performers

• Wishful Thinking (Australian band), a pop punk band

• Wishful Thinking (British band), a rock band

Albums

• Wishful Thinking (Earl Klugh album), 1984

• Wishful Thinking (Neck Deep album), 2014

• Wishful Thinking (Propaganda album), 1985

• Wishful Thinking, by Ed O.G., 2002

Songs

• "Wishful Thinking" (China Crisis song), 1983

• "Wishful Thinking" (Duncan Sheik song), 1998

• "Wishful Thinking" (Wynn Stewart song), 1959

• "Wishful Thinking", by 4hero from Two Pages, 1998

• "Wishful Thinking", by Alphaville from Salvation (Alphaville album), 1997

• "Wishful Thinking", by Dan Hill

• "Wishful Thinking", by the Ditty Bops from The Ditty Bops, 2004

• "Wishful Thinking", by John Petrucci from Suspended Animation, 2005

• "Wishful Thinking", by Natasha Bedingfield from Roll with Me, 2019

• "Wishful Thinkin, by Poison from Hollyweird, 2002

• "Wishful Thinkin, by Sly & the Family Stone from Small Talk, 1974

• "Wishful Thinkin, by Tony Booth (a.k.a. Johnny Booth)

• "Wishful Thinking", by Travis Tritt from Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof, 1994

• "Wishful Thinking", by Wilco from A Ghost Is Born, 2004

Other media

• Wishful Thinking (1997 film), an American romantic comedy

• Wishful Thinking (2026 film), an American romantic comedy

• Wishful Thinking (book), a 1973 non-fiction book by Frederick Buechner

• "Wishful Thinking" (Captain N: The Game Master), a television episode

• "Wishful Thinking" (Supernatural), a television episode

See also

• Wishful Drinking, a 2008 autobiographical book by Carrie Fisher

• Wishful Thinking About Winter, a composition by Wayne Slawson