It's OK to be sad: why pessimists are more successful than optimists
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 6:24 am
The idea that negative thinking is harmful and destructive has taken root in the public consciousness. It is believed that the lack of a positive outlook on what is happening around can cause chronic anxiety and constant worry, and small failures will be perceived as large-scale tragedies. And hello, stress!
We remind you that this Thursday, March 28 at 11:00 (Moscow time), we are waiting for you and your colleagues at a free webinar. Together with you, we will set up a hiring funnel in Megaplan and create a workspace for recruiting with all processes, metrics and summaries. To participate, you need to register. Register for the webinar
But let's get back to our topic.
"Think about the best" - this phrase is said in a variety of tunisia whatsapp list circumstances. Regardless of whether it is about tragic events, illness of relatives or problems at work, there will always be someone in the environment who will advise you to focus on finding the positive, even if in reality everything is worse than it could be.
This article will be useful to everyone who is sad, upset and can't find a place for themselves. It is for optimists who look for the positive in everything, and for pessimists who are for accepting reality as it is. The purpose of the article is not to develop a certain attitude, but to use any of them for your own benefit.
Personal growth coaches encourage us to “keep a positive outlook” and “look at the world positively,” assuring us that changes in our thinking can solve most of life’s problems. However, in practice, it turns out that everything is not so simple, and positive thinking can be harmful, especially when it is not based on anything.
Why Positivity is Harmful
Despite growing scientific evidence that optimism can boost immunity and promote longevity, a realistic outlook on the world actually works better in the long run, even if it does come with some pessimism.
In 2009, a team led by Swedish scientist Niklas Carlsson conducted a study, the results of which explained the tendency of people to ignore undesirable facts. The fact is that for the sake of our own peace of mind, we prefer to stubbornly stick to our opinions, often refusing the truth.
We ignore information we don't like, which damages our ability to think critically. Many choose the carefree happiness of a world of illusions rather than live with the sad truth of reality. However, ignorance may be bliss only for a short time. We cannot deceive ourselves for long: eventually, the facts catch up with us and force us to face reality.
On New Year's Eve, we set goals for ourselves, but then quickly forget about them. About a quarter of such promises to ourselves are broken in the first seven days after the holiday. 90% of attempts to become better or improve your life end in failure.
This is not due to a lack of self-confidence. Rather, it is due to excessive optimism. The more ambitious the goals, the more chances we give ourselves for success. With blind faith in success, the real chances of achieving it often, on the contrary, decrease.
Those who are skeptical about their goals are actually more successful. Doubts can motivate you to work hard and long. So, if you want to achieve something significant, be prepared for pessimistic assessments and big obstacles.
Kate Sweeney, a professor of psychology at the University of California, believes that positive thinking can actually help some people overcome difficulties. For some, it is the best way to cope with challenges. However, this method is not universal for everyone. An optimistic view of potentially bad outcomes can lead many to despair. Unfounded optimism ties a person's hands.
For example, if a person overestimates the length of his life, this will prevent him from adequately planning and taking any actions, because there is supposedly no need for this.
You can't become a pessimist and vice versa
In 2011, psychologists from the Free University of Berlin analyzed numerous studies on how people react to significant changes in their personal and professional lives ( “Positive Resilience in Behavior Change” 2011. PDF, 1.28 MB) . They came to the conclusion that optimistic people maintain their calm and cheerfulness even during difficult periods of change. Whereas people with a tendency toward negative thinking only experience joy from positive events for a short time, after which they tend to return to their previous pessimistic view of the world.
We remind you that this Thursday, March 28 at 11:00 (Moscow time), we are waiting for you and your colleagues at a free webinar. Together with you, we will set up a hiring funnel in Megaplan and create a workspace for recruiting with all processes, metrics and summaries. To participate, you need to register. Register for the webinar
But let's get back to our topic.
"Think about the best" - this phrase is said in a variety of tunisia whatsapp list circumstances. Regardless of whether it is about tragic events, illness of relatives or problems at work, there will always be someone in the environment who will advise you to focus on finding the positive, even if in reality everything is worse than it could be.
This article will be useful to everyone who is sad, upset and can't find a place for themselves. It is for optimists who look for the positive in everything, and for pessimists who are for accepting reality as it is. The purpose of the article is not to develop a certain attitude, but to use any of them for your own benefit.
Personal growth coaches encourage us to “keep a positive outlook” and “look at the world positively,” assuring us that changes in our thinking can solve most of life’s problems. However, in practice, it turns out that everything is not so simple, and positive thinking can be harmful, especially when it is not based on anything.
Why Positivity is Harmful
Despite growing scientific evidence that optimism can boost immunity and promote longevity, a realistic outlook on the world actually works better in the long run, even if it does come with some pessimism.
In 2009, a team led by Swedish scientist Niklas Carlsson conducted a study, the results of which explained the tendency of people to ignore undesirable facts. The fact is that for the sake of our own peace of mind, we prefer to stubbornly stick to our opinions, often refusing the truth.
We ignore information we don't like, which damages our ability to think critically. Many choose the carefree happiness of a world of illusions rather than live with the sad truth of reality. However, ignorance may be bliss only for a short time. We cannot deceive ourselves for long: eventually, the facts catch up with us and force us to face reality.
On New Year's Eve, we set goals for ourselves, but then quickly forget about them. About a quarter of such promises to ourselves are broken in the first seven days after the holiday. 90% of attempts to become better or improve your life end in failure.
This is not due to a lack of self-confidence. Rather, it is due to excessive optimism. The more ambitious the goals, the more chances we give ourselves for success. With blind faith in success, the real chances of achieving it often, on the contrary, decrease.
Those who are skeptical about their goals are actually more successful. Doubts can motivate you to work hard and long. So, if you want to achieve something significant, be prepared for pessimistic assessments and big obstacles.
Kate Sweeney, a professor of psychology at the University of California, believes that positive thinking can actually help some people overcome difficulties. For some, it is the best way to cope with challenges. However, this method is not universal for everyone. An optimistic view of potentially bad outcomes can lead many to despair. Unfounded optimism ties a person's hands.
For example, if a person overestimates the length of his life, this will prevent him from adequately planning and taking any actions, because there is supposedly no need for this.
You can't become a pessimist and vice versa
In 2011, psychologists from the Free University of Berlin analyzed numerous studies on how people react to significant changes in their personal and professional lives ( “Positive Resilience in Behavior Change” 2011. PDF, 1.28 MB) . They came to the conclusion that optimistic people maintain their calm and cheerfulness even during difficult periods of change. Whereas people with a tendency toward negative thinking only experience joy from positive events for a short time, after which they tend to return to their previous pessimistic view of the world.