The optimist vs. the pessimist
Research shows that it's not what happens to you that determines your mood, but how you explain what happens to you that counts.
The article I read said this:
"If an optimist encounters a computer program she can't figure out, she's likely to say, 'Either the manual is unclear, or this program is hard, or maybe I'm having an off day.' The optimist keeps the failure outside herself ('the manual'), keeps it specific ('this program'), and keeps it temporary ('an off day'), while the pessimist would make the problem internal, global, and permanent.
When success occurs, optimists say, 'Of course dinner turned out great; I'm a good cook,' while the pessimist would say, 'Boy, I got lucky today,' literally snatching defeat from the jaws of victory."
This difference in explanation, according to the author, is the key difference between the optimist and the pessimist.
What do you think?
Jana
posted by Jana @ 10:17 PM
1 comments
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1 Comments:
I think of myself as an optimist, and my explanations are generally different than others', but I think they are confusing 'optimist' with 'ego-centric'. I, obviously, didn't read the article, but it sounds like they are saying "the optimist thinks all negative things are not their fault, while all positive things are things that they made happen." I may be generalizing where there is no need. I think of myself as an optimist in the way I see people, not necessarily life circumstances (computers and meals). I believe good about pretty much anyone, frequently after they have given me reason to think otherwise.
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