How optimism can sometimes hurt your personal growth May 4, 2018
Posted by Dennis Mellersh in personal development ideas.Tags: achieving goals, Hope, inspiration, life, optimism, personal development ideas, personal growth program, philosophy, positive thinking, psychology, self-actualization, writing
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It would be difficult to explore any particular personal growth program or system without encountering a discussion of optimism, a discussion which will usually extol the need for, and benefits of, optimism; but can optimism have a downside?
The word optimism is derived from the Latin, optimus, meaning the best; and in thinking about this topic further, I found a number of definitions of optimism, one of which is:
“The tendency to take the most hopeful view.” *
That seems like a practical and productive attitude.
Another one, which I think requires more of a fatalism-based belief approach, is:
“The opinion or doctrine that everything is for the best.” *
The latter is more of a reach than taking a “hopeful view”
Regardless of which definition we might prefer, they both appear to be present-time or now-focussed. Whatever is happening, we take either a “hopeful view” or tell ourselves “It is for the best.”
But I think in most cases, our optimism is future-focused and that is where we can get into trouble.
“This is bad, but it will get better.”
Maybe it will and maybe it won’t.
If it doesn’t get better, and we bet on faith that it will get better but don’t take action steps to ensure a positive outcome, we are missing an opportunity in the present to improve the situation.
Alternatively, “This is good and it will continue to be good.”
Again, faith without productive actions will likely disappoint.
Optimism can be a rational and a productive attitudinal foundation for our efforts towards self-actualization and personal improvement, but…
…optimism has to be based on a commitment to action, or it will likely fail to result in positive outcomes.
* Both definitions are from Webster’s Scholastic Dictionary, Airmont Publishing Company, Inc., New York
—Dennis Mellersh
Personal development: The importance and the limitations of hope December 23, 2017
Posted by Dennis Mellersh in Concept of personal development.Tags: achieving goals, Eric Hoffer, Hope, inspiration, personal growth, philosophy, psychology, self-actualization, writing
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Personal development: The importance and the limitations of hope
We are often told of the importance of the concept or quality of hope to the human spirit; but is hope enough to carry us through difficult times, or do we need to cultivate an additional personal characteristic?
The philosopher Eric Hoffer has the following to say about “hope”:
“There is no hope without self-delusion, while courage is sober and sees things as they are. Hope is perishable, while courage is long-lived. It is easy in an outburst of hope to start a difficult undertaking, but it takes courage to bring it to a conclusion.”
For “hope” we could substitute enthusiasm, and for “courage” persistence.
A high state of excitement or enthusiasm can be difficult to sustain over a long period of work.
We might be excited, optimistic and initially highly enthused about learning how to write poetry, to learn a difficult new skill, or to start a challenging self-improvement program, but we will need a drip-drip-drip* approach to get it done, and that requires persistence, or the ability to “stick with it.”
* Drip-drip-drip is Seth Godin’s metaphor for the approach needed to accomplish long-term goals.
— Dennis Mellersh
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