Yeah, I think this study is likely to encourage some who are overly pessimistic if they dont read it and only go by the title. I think Optimism is generally a good thing.
It’s obvious that being overly optimistic to the point of being unrealistic is not a good thing though, which I think is the point of the article. You have to mix optimism with being realistic.
Your post title should read 'excessive optimism, its a little misleading, what is considered excessive optimism though? I try to be as optimistic as i can & i think that is a good thing.
Absolutely. Big money is coming my way.
Did you get the money @Bowen?
lol. Like I said, realistic optimism. You dont want to be an extreme pessimist. Trust me, my my mom is one. It makes you miserable. A blend of realistic optimism is the way to go. Not optimism that conflicts with reality.
Thinking you will do well making a presentation is likely to become a self fulfilling prophecy, and be a good thing. Thinking you are destined to come into money for no reason…just because…an unrealistic optimism, is not a good thing, imo.
Positive risk taking is often highly under-rated,
If you say that someone has poor decision making skills & lower cognitive skills just bc they took too many risks that didn’t pay off then that’s not fair because sometimes you need to take risks (within reason) for something to change, & even if it didn’t pay off then at least you tried.
I’ll admit my memory is poor but idk how this has anything to do with being optimistic, i have an open mind, i weigh things up, think about things for a long time before making a decision.
@Bowens unrealistic optimism is started to sound like delusional behaviour, maybe it is in a way.
I agree with you, but I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t a complete arse about it.
@Aziz have they done a study into extreme pessimism? lol, I can imagine they’d have a lot more to say about that.
I guess people have to settle for mediumism.
It all depends on whether or not you were prepared for the presentation. Myself and some others have known the embarrassment of optimistic lack of careful preparation and the resulting failure.
I try not to be pessimistic at all, i am probably 5% pessimistic but it all changes if i was unmedicated, when i got unwell 3 yrs ago everything reversed. i was worse than a pessimist actually, it was a nightmare.
Like I said and will say again…realistic optimism. You obviously have to prepare. If you are optimistic though, it is likely to give you the confidence to do well. If you are pessimistic and think you are going to stumble all over your words, you are likely to be nervous and do so.
I’m having a hard time believing that you have ever been optimistic 
.
I was optimistic that I could match the accomplishments of my sister. The whole idea of competition with a coach giving pep talks - and believe it or not, I was a cheerleader for 3 years.
■■■■ this study. Optimism is a necessity you have to be able to envision your future is something that’s going to make you happy. You have to maintain your position with respect to life in a way that’s positive. You have to believe in yourself and you only can do that if you think that the world is a good place and the place that fosters your humanity and your own goodness. If I let the world affect me enough to become a pessimist, I would no longer feel free
There has been a time i was overly optimistic, it worked out ok but i could have done a better job if i had prepared more, we call doing things without preparing ‘winging it’ & a lot of people do it, usually bc they are over confident & maybe a little lazy.
Does it help to call it overconfident?
I agree freelunch, I find pessimism very disabling, optimism is liberating
Um, uh, er, ah.
Wow.
I think I agree with the headline. I always used to say happiness kills brain cells.
But now that I am in ignorant bliss myself I don’t find it so bad.
But what if your a optometrist? 