”Optimism generates hope...hope releases dreams...dreams set goals...enthusiasm follows.” Martin Seligman

Martin Seligman is recognised as one of the founders of Positive Psychology in the late 90s. Positive Psychology is the scientific study of human flourishing, and an applied approach to optimal functioning.

I love this quote from him…simply reading the words makes me smile!

What is optimism?

Optimism is understood to be a reasoned, cognitive process, which can be learned and consciously applied.

And research tells us that optimists are –

• better able to cope with challenges
• enjoy better health
• have better moods and higher morale
• more successful academically and in their careers

It’s good common sense to support ourselves by learning to apply techniques to increase our optimism.

The art of optimism is about focusing on the good stuff until we have changed our beliefs and emotions.

By supporting yourself with optimistic thinking you will feel more positive, happier and hopeful about the future.

Benefits of optimism

People who are pessimistic tend to use escapist or avoidant behaviours when dealing with stress, including turning to drugs and alcohol or pursuing hedonistic activities with no real meaning. They can also let their doubts about the future discourage them from trying.

People who are optimistic actively pursue things that will improve their well-being and work to minimise or manage the impacts of stress in their lives. They are generally more hopeful about the future and display traits associated with a growth mindset.

Some of the many benefits of optimism that researchers have discovered include -

• Higher levels of subjective well-being
• Better physical health
• Better mental health
• Higher motivation
• Longer lifespan
• Better job performance
• Lower levels of stress
• Higher quantity and quality of social relationships
• Better coping skills
• More positive emotions
• Better problem-solving skills

Tools to increase optimism

The following actions and attitudes have been proven to increase optimism –

1. Empowering beliefs – as we covered in the last newsletter leads to happier and more optimistic lives than limiting beliefs
2. Curiosity not judgement – will increase rapport and understanding
3. Personal growth rather than comparisons – will reduce the negative impacts of internal competition and comparison and focus on how you can do your best
4. Live in the present – too much time reminiscing about the past, or dreaming about the future detracts from your ability to really enjoy your life right now
5. Conversations rather than arguments – a favourite concept of mine from Edward De Bono
6. See the possibilities – the language you use matters; it influences our thoughts and actions
7. Expect the best outcome – it is good to plan for the worst and expect the best
8. Problem-solving – rather than assigning blame
9. Negative emotions are feedback – and can be used to assess emotional reactions, understand the root cause, and then select more appropriate responses

Conversations not arguments

Let’s expand on the concept of having conversations rather than arguments. I adopted it from How to Have a Beautiful Mind by Edward De Bono, 2004. It is one of my favourite books and even though it was published in 2004, it is still just as relevant today!

These two quotes are particularly powerful and summarise the key concepts of the book…

“A good listener is very nearly as attractive as a good talker. You cannot have a beautiful mind if you do not know how to listen.”

“A discussion should be a genuine attempt to explore a subject rather than a battle between competing egos.” Edward De Bono

It’s worthwhile considering how these might apply to your own behaviour, particularly as lawyers are taught to argue and often see their work as a battlefield. This can get in the way of genuine rapport and understanding.

Learned optimism

Martin Seligman is one of the leaders in the field of learned optimism. Learned optimism involves developing the ability to view the world from a more positive point of view. It is often contrasted with pessimism and learned helplessness. By challenging negative self-talk and replacing pessimistic thoughts with more positive ones, people can learn how to become more optimistic.

Any lawyers reading this are asked to take particular note of this concept. I also find that many project management professionals benefit greatly from the concept of learning optimism, and by taking specific actions to improve their resilience and undo learned behaviours that promote pessimistic thought processes.

One of the simplest and most powerful tools developed by Seligman is the 3 Ps which uses subjective ratings of adverse events according to three dimensions – permanence, pervasiveness, and personalisation.

When an adverse event occurs you simply ask yourself these three questions and rate the responses along the three continuums –

1. How permanent is the event? FROM it will be gone tomorrow, TO it is completely permanent and can never be undone
2. How pervasive are the impacts of the event? FROM the negative impacts relate to a small part of my life, TO the negative impacts relate to all aspects of my life
3. How much personal control do I have over the event? FROM it was completely within my control, TO none at all, it is completely outside of my control

Try it out the next time you have an adverse event in your life, you will be amazed by the sense of perspective and how quickly you can move into a more positive state so that you can take action or move on without attachment.

Find out more…

The process to select and reinforce your limiting beliefs is part of Module 2 of The POSITIVE Lawyer and is also covered in my new book The POSITIVE Lawyer® Mindset

Find out more and register your interest   

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My aim is to inspire you to transform your working life and achieve great things and I look forward to joining you on your journey!