Is a glass half empty perception really such a bad thing though?Research is increasingly suggesting that optimism has become like a cult. It’s gotten to the point where people feel pressure to think and talk in a positive way. But when you’ve reached the stage of contentment, what then? This is where pessimism can be an advantage. Why? It will help you up your game. “Surprisingly, negative thoughts can be most helpful at moments when we might seem to have the least to feel pessimistic about,” Annie Murphy Paul made clear in Psychology Today.
Pragmatic decisions: A pessimist’s secret weapon?
It’s been suggested that a pessimist can make unbelievably pragmatic decisions. They won’t fall into a trap of ideals and perceived prospects. Research from the University of Bath, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Cardiff University fleshed out this concept. It claimed optimistic thinking led to the creation of businesses that had no realistic prospect of financial success.This, the colossal report proclaimed, could explain why only 50% of businesses in the UK survive the first five years.“Tracking individuals as they moved from paid employment to setting up their own venture, we found that business owners with above average optimism ended up earning 30% less than those with below average optimism,” the researchers wrote.
“Many of these optimists would have been well advised to remain an employee. Because they overestimated their chances of doing well and underestimated their probability of failure.”The study proclaimed that a optimistic outlook could be infectious. As a society, we do, after all, celebrate optimism and entrepreneurial thinking.
Assuming a measure of risk
At the forefront of pessimist research is the ability to navigate risk – a nifty tool for leaders to wield. They won’t just jump when an opportunity looks too good to be true.There’s a cautious process to be followed first – a process created by the thought stamping out all negative outcomes. It’s also a process spurred on by previous mistakes. As Inc’s John Boitnott explains: “While the optimist is looking at the successes of a project gone awry, the pessimist may be more likely to focus on the problems and identify their roots. “In other words, optimists may not remember past mistakes and might be doomed to repeat them, while pessimists are more likely to retain lessons of the past.” All this research highlights that the word pessimistic shouldn’t conjure words of a grumpy leader who sees fault in everything.
It’s just the concept of being a little more thorough, more cautious and having that extra level of understanding before making a decision.While optimism is definitely necessary, we would all benefit from a glass half empty perspective once in a while.
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