The positive psychology movement has recently reconfigured the thinking of psychologists by bringing to the forefront of enquiry a scientific focus on positive emotions, character strengths, and human virtue, the ultimate aim of which is to further our understanding of human nature and optimize our potential for a good life. This paper proposes a modest systems psychology as a neutral Complement to positive psychological thinking in an effort to facilitate a systems view on action optimization. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.