“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty,” Winston Churchill said. However, in times of distress, it is difficult to be optimistic and stay positive. But, have you noticed that if you see the brighter side of things, it feels that you experience more positive events? You find yourself less stressed, and even enjoy greater health benefits. According to research this is not your imagination, and suggests that there is a direct link between control and optimism.
“If we feel more in control of our lives, we tend to be happier, healthier and more optimistic about the future. While it may be understandably difficult to adopt an optimistic viewpoint, given the current circumstance, drawing on the concept of optimism and using it as a tool can improve our state of mind, and help us get through this intense period of uncertainty.” Lise-Mari Crafford of Allan Gray recommends.
She explains that adopting a balanced view by seeking perspectives contrary to our own and ensuring that decisions are grounded in reality, will help us avoid falling into the blind optimism trap and rather be realistically optimistic. She adds that investing is an activity grounded in optimism and that realistic optimism can help investors during times of crises.
But how does optimism relate to achieving goals?
| 1. | Optimism supports creative thinking and the generation of new ideas In a world with a health crisis and a standstill economy, optimism will help individuals and businesses alike to think differently about how they can support their communities, and how they can position themselves for a different future. |
| 2. | Optimism produces a tendency to act Optimists see the future as holding opportunity and they want to prepare for it and make it happen. This driving force will be critical in the coming weeks and months. |
| 3. | Optimism supports persistence in a chosen course of action that is difficult Things are tough, and it’s going to take a long time for them to get better. It may feel very difficult to persevere – with a struggling business, with a poorly performing investment, with a goal that will take longer than expected to achieve. Optimism will help you get there. |
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With level 3 kicking in today, there is bound to be a sense of relief, and an increase in the national psyche. Coupled with the buoyancy resulting from access to bubbly, we should be a substantially happier nation than a day ago.
