Realistic pessimism causes people to believe the excuses their minds generate. If success is very unlikely, then why should I bother trying? If years of hard work will prove to be all for naught because of a looming obstacle, then I’d be a fool to put in all that effort in the first place. Realistic pessimism also discourages hard work, but in a more subtle way. Who wouldn’t want to take the easy road to wealth and happiness? The only problem is the easy road doesn’t exist. If all I have to do is imagine what I want in order to get it, why put in any effort? If all it takes to succeed is to believe that I’m going to succeed, why try? The unscientific self-help gurus who peddle this crap are certainly selling an appealing idea. Unrealistic optimism – the stuff of vision boards and the so-called “law of attraction” – discourages hard work. Realistic optimists believe that they can succeed, which encourages them to try, and they know that persistent effort is the only way to succeed, so they work very hard. What sets realistic optimism apart from its neighbors on the spectrum is that it both inspires and depends upon hard work. But which life would you rather live? Hard Work Both realistic pessimists and realistic optimists wind up proving themselves right. They imagine what could become possible, and they work hard to make it a reality.īoth of these realistic mindsets are self-fulfilling prophecies. This allows them to tap into their incredible human potential. And, most importantly, realistic optimists believe in their capacity for growth. They do foresee obstacles, but they also foresee themselves finding workarounds. But because they do not give the negative outcomes special weight, they are unburdened by loss-aversion and risk-aversion. Realistic optimists also take an accurate assessment of reality and imagine probable outcomes. Realistic optimism is, for most purposes, a better approach. As a result, they remain stuck, inhibited by their own pessimism. Their view is limited to only what is possible right now, so they fail to imagine what might become possible later. They fail to recognize that by struggling, people can learn and improve and thereby expand the set of options that is realistically possible.
They see their own abilities and the abilities of others as fixed. They foresee obstacles, but they don’t foresee themselves finding ways around those obstacles. Realistic pessimists are afraid of taking risks, afraid of trying new things, afraid of leaving their comfort zone. However, when it comes to personal growth and career trajectory, realistic pessimism is problematic. This approach can be very helpful in certain careers where risk-assessment is critical, such as loan officers, building inspectors, and surgeons.
Realistic pessimism takes an accurate assessment of reality and imagines probable outcomes, but it pays special attention to negative outcomes, giving them extra weight. In the middle of the spectrum, we find healthier approaches, grounded in reality. When people believe that only good things will come to them because the entire universe is conspiring to ensure that they’re wildly successful, they’re being irrationally optimistic. On the far right, we have unrealistic optimism, which is unrestrained positive thinking. When people imagine that all sorts of catastrophes will ensue from a minor setback, they are being irrationally pessimistic. On the far left, we have unrealistic pessimism, which is overblown negative thinking. There is actually a spectrum of ways to think about the future, and, as with most other psychological concepts, spectrum thinking helps us see more clearly.Īs usual, the middle-ground is better than the extremes. The solution to this conundrum is realistic optimism. There are times when pessimism seems smarter than optimism, but there are also times when the opposite is true. How should we think about the future? Should we be pessimistic or optimistic? Should we keep our dreams in check or reach for the stars? Is it wiser to focus on what could go wrong or imagine what might go right? There are valid reasons to favor any of these approaches. New here? Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
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