Optimism In an Era of Uncertainty
by Jeff Davidson
In this time of high global tensions and economic uncertainty, is maintaining an optimistic outlook possible or even warranted? I believe it is. By better understanding the nature of optimism, we can increase our potential for feeling optimistic. Let's start with this cold fact: naturally occurring optimism is rare among people. Testing of thousands of professionals over several years has revealed that only a tiny fraction of them display the type of long-term, rigorous optimism that would enable them, say, to succeed in a profession in which they continually encounter rejection. Nevertheless, practically anyone can broaden his or her capacity for optimism.
The Further Back You Can See
Many historians agree that the further back you can look, the further ahead you can see. Understanding the optimism of our ancestors enables us to gain insights for today. Recent findings affirm that we are probably hard-wired to continually seek out reassurance. In many respects, achieving an optimistic state of mind is based on perspective.
To achieve an optimistic perspective, as simplistic as it sounds, you need only tell yourself things like: "Each day holds the prospect for wondrous events. Why shouldn't I feel good?"
Many people are optimistic simply because of the deeply held belief that they will be rewarded in the afterlife. Others have been touched by influential people who have conveyed a sense of optimism through their words and deeds. Leaders most definitely can affect the levels of optimism among their followers, and the demonstrated influence of a benign leader over followers can be a marvel to behold.
Taking Your Cues from the News?
The media, by their very nature, tend to cover what goes wrong in society: the floods, the fires, and people's hostility toward each other.
Do the media go too far in portraying the downside of society? Can one ever get a balanced view of current affairs by relying on popular media sources? Probably not, but still legions of people manage to cling steadfastly to optimism.
Some people feel personally beleaguered by reports of attacks on innocent people. Other people acknowledge the world's problems but choose to focus on the good things that occur. They are heartened by what they find on a daily basis-the small, casual acts of kindness that they witness, hear about, or perform themselves. Others draw upon events in history that have accentuated the human capacity for doing good. The flower-power toppling of the Marcos regime in the Philippines, the spontaneous teardown of the Berlin Wall, and breakthroughs in science and medicine have uplifted many people's spirits.
Most of the world's immigrants still seek to take refuge in the United States, which is perceived as a land of opportunity. Such pilgrims surely are optimistic about their prospects here versus in Japan, Brazil, or France, much less Afghanistan, Syria, or Iraq.
Granted, you don't have to go far to ascertain what's wrong with the world. Plop yourself down in front of a newspaper, the Internet, or the evening news on TV, and you will find plenty of evidence. From terrorist acts to the erosion of the ozone layer to the loss of biodiversity to the continued existence of slaves for sex and for labor, the stark reality can hit you like an audit notice from the IRS. There are more land mines planted in Bosnia than can be eradicated in the next 30 years. Radioactive waste from nuclear reactors has a half-life of 10,000 years, and even then, no one is sure that it can be safely discarded. Taking the good with the bad, however, some seemingly negative developments have a silver lining. For example, oil shortages prompt conservation and the exploration of alternative energy sources. As Frank Lloyd Wright once said, "Man builds most nobly when limitation is at its greatest."
Some Are Blessed
We know from research that some people are apparently born optimistic-they naturally exude optimism, to the utter bewilderment of the rest of the population.
Are the "emotionally intelligent," however, more likely to be optimistic? There are compelling arguments either way. Some say that when you stop attempting to know all of the big picture of life and recognize that there may be no "answers," optimism has the best chance of emerging.
From the early Greek philosophers to Abraham Lincoln to today's researchers, people have known and understood that, essentially, we choose our own emotions. Although it seems as if prevailing circumstances dictate how we will act and how we will feel, probing slightly deeper shows that this may be a false cause-effect perception. Conversely, those who seem cheery aren't necessarily optimists.
Are people more optimistic when they are young? Not necessarily.
Sometimes, the young are more fearful of the future than, say, many in the 60+ crowd, who may have built up a nest egg, become secure in who they are, and be looking forward to a decade or more of active living.
If you could see into the future and knew that your whole life would turn out reasonably well, would the trials and tribulations of today seem less frustrating or overwhelming? Would you be happier today? For most people the answer probably is yes. The economy, of course, has an impact on many people's levels of optimism, at least regarding their own financial futures. Some people believe that when they earn their first million, they'll have a more optimistic view of the world. Others have found that earning their first million, or even getting their first salaried job, didn't change their levels of optimism.
Benefits Reported
Study after study has concluded that significant health and social benefits generally accrue to those maintaining a positive outlook. The benefits of optimism in the face of illness have been eloquently stated by Dr. Norman Cousins, Dr. Bernie Siegel, and a host of others.
Optimists are less prone to major diseases, have relatively fortified immune systems, experience fewer colds and bouts of influenza, and have lower blood pressure, among a host of other health benefits, it is claimed.
Optimism in one's career translates to much more than simply having a pleasant day or cordial relationships with coworkers. A Korn-Ferry study, among many others, finds that the optimistic worker has a significantly better chance of promotion and greater career-long earnings.
Sheila Murray Bethel, in her book The Twelve Qualities of a Leader, points out that leaders in the workplace invariably are leaders at home first. So, too, with optimists. If you want to be optimistic about the world, you have to start with optimism at home. Developing personal optimism potentially leads to the development of company and community optimism.
Virtually all successful CEOs are optimists to one degree or another. They practice healthy skepticism and may be cautious and calculated risk-takers, but their long-term visions of where their companies are heading and what they can achieve help to marshal all of their companies' resources in that pursuit.
Optimism in the workplace is an invaluable trait, but the social advantages of optimism are considerable as well. Making friends faster and more easily adds to the enjoyment and enrichment of life. Blondes may or may not have more fun, but optimists generally do. Those who can enjoy the "journey" as well as arriving at the destination are less frustrated and more balanced people. Optimists have the proclivity to engage in the passionate pursuit of their hobbies, and often their enthusiasm is infectious.
A More Optimistic You
The key to increasing optimism in your own life is recognizing the importance of awareness. Via the process of selecting from among their perceptions, people have the opportunity to monitor and regulate how they feel about what they are exposed to. State of mind can actually regulate perception, not the other way around!
Although they are not abundant, there are cases in which long-term or confirmed pessimists became optimists and, through the power of their newfound optimism, served as beacons to those around them. They went on to make notable achievements and significant breakthroughs in such vital areas as the environment, world hunger, disarmament, human relations, literacy, and biodiversity.
When he overcame despair and thoughts of death and began long-term rehabilitation, Christopher Reeve somehow became the focal point of an optimistic cause-to cure spinal-cord paralysis-and launched a charitable foundation, the Reeve-Irvine Institute.
Macro-Optimism
How can you be happy not just about your own life, career, family, and immediate surroundings but also about the state of the world? By helping to create a mass self-fulfilling prophecy that demonstrates what you can do, individually and collectively, that will add up to significant positive change.
With some effort, it is entirely possible to maintain an optimistic outlook about your life and immediate surroundings and about the state of the world. Surround yourself with other optimists. Optimist support groups flourish throughout the world, ranging from Optimists International to Toastmasters to church groups, all of which assist the individual in maintaining a positive outlook. They can readily be found on the Internet, in the phone book, or simply by asking around. 
Jeff Davidson, executive director of the Breathing Space Institute, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is the author of The Joy of Simple Living (e-mail, jeff@breathing space.com; 919/932-1996; fax, 919/932-9982; Web site, www.BreathingSpace.com). Author retains article copyright. 
 
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