Optimism

Through the course of my work I have met and worked with thousands of leaders, and it’s been an absolute privilege to interact with so many great people.

Some of these people have been a delight to be around, some less so!

I’ve long reflected on what might be the fundamental difference between the two, and this quote from Daniel Kahneman best encompasses what I think I’ve always believed, but perhaps never been brave enough to say out loud.

Psychologist and Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman on optimism:

"If you are allowed one wish for your child, seriously consider wishing him or her optimism. Optimists are normally cheerful and happy, and therefore popular; they are resilient in adapting to failures and hardships, their chances of clinical depression are reduced, their immune system is stronger, they take better care of their health, they feel healthier than others and are in fact likely to live longer.
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Optimistic individuals play a disproportionate role in shaping our lives. Their decisions make a difference; they are the inventors, the entrepreneurs, the political and military leaders – not average people. They got to where they are by seeking challenges and taking risks. They are talented and they have been lucky, almost certainly luckier than they acknowledge... the people who have the greatest influence on the lives of others are likely to be optimistic and overconfident, and to take more risks than they realize."

Source: Thinking, Fast and Slow

I think its fair to say that whilst genetics can undoubtedly influence our innate level of optimism, it shouldn’t end there. There appears to be ample evidence that we have a choice in the matter; we can learn how to think and behave more optimistically.

It is to a large degree up to us whether we appear as a ray of sunshine, or the cloud that blocks the sunlight.