Under learned optimism, while you may not always be able to change your situation, you can change how you respond to it. Under learned helplessness, you can’t change the situation and give up. Seligman uses the phrase “learned optimism” to contrast “learned helplessness,” a thought pattern where someone feels unable to change negative circumstances. The term “learned optimism” comes from positive psychology, a branch of psychology founded by Dr. This concept in psychology aims to help people find new ways to manage tough situations and improve their overall well-being. Learned optimism is the process of recognizing and challenging pessimistic thoughts in order to develop more positive behaviors. Day-Night Partial Hospitalization Program.Rational optimists see the tragedy in Japan, or understand the difficulty in treating breast cancer, or recognize the racial injustices in our educational system…but they are also the ones who search for ways to help the survivors, or believe a cure can be found, or continue to work to invent a better system. Only rational optimism allows us to actively confront the injustices and ills in society. You must change reality, not just wish it away. Rational optimists believe that mindset matters, but they also recognize that reality is part of the formula. They start to believe that mindset is all that matters. On a related note, I have encountered a couple people who have read books like “The Secret” and erroneously become irrational optimists. Rational optimists see problems, but unlike pessimists, they think they can do something about them. Only irrational optimists overlook problems and think that reality has no bearing upon the future. Some well-intentioned writers have railed against positive psychology because they mistakenly assume that optimism means turning a blind eye to injustice or ignoring loss. But remember, both optimists and pessimists see the approaching saber-tooth tiger there is just a difference in opinion about whether it can be dealt with. I’ve heard business leaders try to make a case that their pessimism was evolutionarily selected. Third, the idea “it’s good to have pessimists so we know what the problems are” is false. And if we continue to believe our behavior matters, we believe this too shall pass. According to researchers like Martin Seligman, pessimists see problems as “permanent and pervasive.” Optimists see the problems, but they perceive them as “local and temporary.” In other words, the problem is only one part of reality, and there are lots of other good things going on in other domains of our life. The difference between an optimist and a pessimist is how they then deal with the reality they perceive. Both optimists and pessimists can make realistic assessments of the present. Second, “I’m not a pessimist nor an optimist, I’m a realist” is a nonsensical statement. This approach will help other people to accept your mindset as both palatable and authentic. Try today to first communicate that you recognize the existence and scope of a problem, then proceed to communicate your gratitude or hope that things will change. If people find you to be annoyingly cheerful, don’t lose the optimism. None of this is the type of rational optimism we are referring to in positive psychology research. We find ourselves wanting to pop their bubbles because they affront our conception of reality. That guy who talks about how great the weather is while people are being fired, or the pilot who seems chipper as she reports another hour delay on the tarmac, or the person who says “don’t worry, be happy” when he shows up an hour late to pick you up at the airport. You probably know people who are irritatingly optimistic. You can’t sugarcoat the present and still make good decisions for the future. Irrational optimism is why financial bubbles form, why we buy homes we can’t afford, and why we prematurely put up banners that say “mission accomplished.” Irrational optimists attempt to put on rose-colored glasses first, and therefore even their initial steps are Pollyannaish and flawed. What we should be saying is “you’re an irrational optimist!” We are trying to say that person has a warped vision of reality, which is based on desire, not how things actually are. First, “you’re being an optimist” should not be an insult.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |