Optimistic Vs Pessimistic

Studies have shown that on average an optimist will have a longer, healthier and a more fulfilled life then a pessimist.

In 1980 a study was carried out which monitored 122 men who had a heart attack. After eight years, 21 of the 25 most pessimistic patients had died. But only 6 of the optimistic ones had died.

The pessimist will see the worst in something. They will then take all the responsibility personally. They will then feel bad not just for what they have done, but for who they are, and believe nothing is right. They will then believe nothing will ever be right. At this point they will stop trying to change things and just concentrate on surviving. In the worst case scenario they will give up on simply surviving.

The optimist on the other hand will get something right and praise themselves. When they get it right again they will keep telling themselves how well they did. When things go wrong they will see it as a simple set-back. If things continue to go wrong they will put it down to circumstance and look at a way of changing things. They will look at all problems as opportunities.

An optimist has a totally different outlook on life. They spot opportunity not danger, they visualise the best possible outcome not the worst. An optimist will arrange a barbeque for Sunday week knowing it is going to be a bright, warm sunny day. A pessimist will expect it to rain and will possible not even bother to arrange it.

You will never succeed with a negative or pessimistic attitude to life. If you are inclined to be pessimistic you have to change your mindset, NOW.

Many people are so frightened that they may make a mistake, that in the end they do nothing. It's perfectly acceptable to make a mistake. We all learn from mistakes. You should learn to accept mistakes as part of the learning curve. You can learn more from your mistakes then you can from your achievements.

Begin to see things that go wrong as an opportunity to put them right. Learn from setbacks don't take them personally. Remember to try, try and try again. Each time you fail, you have learnt how not to do something. So next time, you will do it differently. Always believe in yourself, own the responsibility, but do not continuously blame yourself. Each time something goes wrong ask yourself; how can I turn this to my advantage?

If it rains when you have a barbeque, it's not your fault. You can not control the weather. Laugh about it and simply move indoors. You see it's not a problem. You have the opportunity to turn the barbeque into a party. You will probably find you will have an even better time.

Now if you had worried about the weather, then possibly the barbeque would not have even taken place. You would have convinced yourself that it was going to rain so you would have not even bothered to organise it. Now on the other hand if you had thought about the possibility of rain and had a plan in place to deal with that problem when and if it happened. You would have naturalised the negative effect.

So don't worry. Don't get "bogged down" with the negative outcome. Yes think about failure, think about setbacks, but always have a secondary plan of action waiting in the wings. By doing this you have thought about the negatives, dealt with them, and left yourself with only positive possibilities.

If you think you're going to fail, you're right, YOU WILL. If you think you're going to succeed, you're right, YOU WILL.

Mark Claridge specializes in teaching motivational and self-development skills. In his new FREE e-book "Mindset and Match" he covers amongst other subjects how having the correct mindset can bring you all you want out of life and is available at http://www.inthe6th.com.

Latest News


Dawgs digging deep to find last-game motivation
Seattle Post Intelligencer - 56 minutes ago
Finding motivation figures to be a challenge for a squad coming off a 16-13 double-overtime loss in its rivalry game. Willingham insisted he won't use his ...

OPEC Cuts: A Barrel Of Laughs
Forbes, NY - 2 hours ago
"The major motivation for sellers is the discounting of the OPEC decision," said Mike Fitzpatrick, vice president of MF Global, in a report, "but motivation ...

Irish Win Record 39th Straight at Home
New York Times, United States - 21 hours ago
“We knew coming into this game that there was something to play for and that gave us a little extra motivation,” said McAlarney, who led the Irish with 32 ...

Chiefs provide Raiders true motivation to run
Sacramento Bee,  USA - Nov 30, 2008
"It gives us a little extra motivation to play for because when you have hard times, it's tough to find that extra motivation. We're playing at home against ...

Bleacher Report

AU should have plenty of motivation
Times-Journal, AL - Nov 28, 2008
Then again, the Tigers should take the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium with plenty of motivation. - With a win, Auburn will become bowl eligible. ...
Iron Bowl is motivation for injured Auburn players Tuscaloosa News (subscription)
Tide, Tigers Have Different Motivations BamaMag.com
GRIBBLE COLUMN: More than bragging rights on the line Opelika Auburn News
Dothan Eagle - Tuscaloosa News (subscription)
all 1,110 news articles

TSN.ca

Motivation, Tebow and Percy-cution
GatorCountry.com, FL - Nov 28, 2008
Percy Harvin turns on the jets and heads to the end zone against South Carolina/Gator Country Photo by Tim Casey. The year was 1968 and the fifth-ranked ...
No. 2 Gators hammer rival FSU again, 45-15 The Associated Press
Storming to Atlanta: No. 2 UF heads for showdown with No. 1 'Bama ... Independent Florida Alligator
Tebow: The Ultimate Warrior DawgsBite.com
Swamp Things - Gatorsports.com
all 948 news articles

Don't let motivation to conserve fall with fuel prices
Bloomington Pantagraph,  USA - Nov 29, 2008
When gasoline was selling for $4 a gallon there was greater motivation to address those problems, just as there was when the fuel crisis of the 1970s hit ...

Disease is motivation, not obstacle, for Center Grove senior
Indianapolis Star, United States - Nov 28, 2008
But I use that as a motivation to work harder and push myself through conditioning." That dedication is inspiring to others around him, Center Grove coach ...

Essence of a bargain is the urgency to sell
Atlanta Journal Constitution,  USA - 9 hours ago
It’s all about the motivation of the seller. The vast majority of sellers in any real estate market are, in my opinion, mostly testing the waters. ...

JON FRIEDMAN'S MEDIA WEB Murdoch, explained by Newser's Michael Wolff
MarketWatch - 12 hours ago
1) Murdoch's motivation and strategy are a constant source of fascination to Wolff, whose volume about the executive is appropriately titled, ...

Resources