© 2004 Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D.
“Success is measured by your ability to maintain enthusiasm between failures.” ― Sir Winston Churchill
People who are successful in life measure high on assessments of optimistic attitudes. It would be easy to presume they are optimistic because they are successful, but there is enough research to show that optimism comes first.
High scores for optimism are predictive of excellence in everything from sports to health, elections and sales. When Metropolitan Life used an assessment of optimistic attitude to select and hire salespeople, those scoring highest on the optimism scale outsold others in their first year by 27 percent.
“Don’t ever become a pessimist; a pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun – and neither can stop the march of events.” - Robert A. Heinlein
On the surface, optimism may appear to be a simple case of “don’t worry, be happy.” However, an effective assessment will show that there are degrees of optimism. Not all kinds will move us forward in life.
Here are three important tools for learning to cultivate an optimistic attitude:
- Become aware: look at how you selectively focus on events.
- Examine your internal dialogue; then change what you tell yourself.
- See negative events as opportunities rather than problems.
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” - Sir Winston Churchill
The full 1,000 word article covers these concepts:
The Importance of Optimism for Health & Happiness
A Dynamic Optimist vs a Passive One
Optimism Can Be Learned
When You Hit that Wall…
Coaching for Optimism
Resources for Optimism
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Here are the order links for purchasing the article with full reprint rights:
Optimism Article, 1000 Words, Full Reprint Rights: $47
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