Dr. Michael R. MacDonald
Optimism can help us in all walks of life. I am positive that it has helped me throughout my life (no pun intended).
What is Optimism
Optimism has two central components that reinforce each other.
First, optimism is a general expectation of positive outcomes.
Second, it is a belief in one’s ability to influence events positively.
Optimism is not a naive rose-coloured glasses view of the world. It is a realistic, well thought out view, based on one’s experiences, learnings and personality.
Optimism, Productivity and a Strong Mind
Research shows that adopting an optimistic outlook can significantly enhance productivity and overall well-being.
Optimism has been linked to improved performance across various domains. Studies indicate that optimistic people are 31% more productive, three times more creative, and ten times more engaged at work compared to their pessimistic counterparts. This heightened performance stems from a positive mental state that fosters creativity and problem-solving abilities.
Joe Robinson, a prolific author and speaker, reviews some of this research. He also writes about reducing the ever-present negativity bias in today’s world.
Nobel Prize Winning Ideas
High performers are optimistic.
According to psychologist and Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman, “optimistic individuals play a disproportionate role in shaping our lives. Their decisions make a difference; they are the inventors, the entrepreneurs, the political and military leaders – not average people. They got to where they are by seeking challenges and taking risks. They are talented and they have been lucky, almost certainly luckier than they acknowledge… the people who have the greatest influence on the lives of others”.
“If you are allowed one wish for your child, seriously consider wishing him or her optimism. Optimists are normally cheerful and happy, and therefore popular; they are resilient in adapting to failures and hardships, their chances of clinical depression are reduced, their immune system is stronger, they take better care of their health, they feel healthier than others and are in fact likely to live longer.”
These ideas and wishes are taken from Kahneman’s book, Thinking, Fast and Slow. Thank you, also, to James Clear for writing about this work.
When I was a Young Lad
I have a special fondness for Daniel Kahneman and his work and was saddened to hear of his passing early this year.
I first came across his work when I was in an undergraduate psychology program at the University of Toronto, Erindale College. Kahneman published an influential book, entitled Attention and Effort (1973). The ideas from his book help build the foundation for my research into cognitive factors affecting depression. Later on, my Masters and PhD research continued to be influenced by his work.
Thank you Dr. Kahneman.
A New SHORT Format
I hope you found this information interesting and helpful.
This is the first post using a short form format. I hope this format will allow me to write more articles, both with short and longer forms.
Don’t Miss Out
I will following up on this theme of optimism in my next articles. Coming up will be a focus on practical strategies for overcoming the infectious negativity that surrounds us and interferes, not only with our productivity, but also our overall quality of life.
You will not want to miss out. Nor will your friends and family, so please share.
Until next time, let our warm hearts soar!
Michael
michael@aWarmHeart.ca
And thank you for caring that little bit extra – it really makes a big difference.