How to use Optimism to Enhance Performance

8 min read

What you’ll learn

• The connection between optimism and physical wellbeing

• Change your unhelpful thoughts to a more productive mindset in challenging times

• Ignoring the challenge does not make it go away, but rather, knowing how to deal with it in a healthy way

What is optimism and why should you care?

Do you tend to look at situations in a productive way or do you allow unhelpful thoughts to overcome you?

Winston Churchill once said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”. Optimistic thinkers do not spend time looking at the glass as half full or half empty, they focus their energy on developing productive thoughts to solve the problem. Instead of looking at how tough a problem may be, a helpful way to approach challenging situations is to look at the lesson we can learn from it to make us better in the end. Optimists tend to have a healthier outlook on life and are therefore less likely to be disturbed by unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. 

Research shows there is a connection between optimism and pain management, immune, cardiovascular and physical function. This is related to findings which suggest that optimistic people have better coping skills and lower levels of perceived stress. It comes back to having productive thoughts and looking for solutions instead of dwelling on the problem itself. Studies have found that optimism is connected to lower cardiovascular risk factors, and longer life span.

What are the top characteristics of optimists?

So, how do you become an optimist? There are a variety of characteristics associated with optimistic behaviour such as; maintaining a productive outlook on your life, accepting responsibility for mistakes without dwelling on them, feeling gratitude for the good things in your life, and understanding that even good things can come from negative events. Optimists tend to see challenges as opportunities to learn and believe they will still succeed in the face of the obstacles they are facing. 

Optimists are not born, they are made. Therefore, with enough self-awareness, anyone can change their behaviour and how they respond to situations.

How to use optimism in challenging situations

If you are in the midst of a challenge and experiencing unproductive thoughts, take some time to think about the good things in life. Remind yourself of all that you have to be grateful for, focus on your strengths and use them to help you through that difficult time. Remember what your goals are and trust that the challenge will help you to grow and become better in the end. In order for us to grow, we must be able to step out of our comfort zone and face adversity, while believing in our own strengths. Focusing on your goals can help you to stay grounded and keep on track, which can help unproductive thoughts from taking over.

The difference between positivity and optimism: hopeful optimism and forced optimism

Being optimistic does not mean we should always be positive and pretend everything is ok when it is not. It is not advised to ignore obstacles we are faced with, but instead to admit there is a challenge. Having a healthy outlook on situations requires first being able to acknowledge that something is wrong, accept the reality that a problem exists and then work on how to manage or solve it. “Everything is butterflies and rainbows” is an unproductive mindset. Forced optimism may result in ignoring emotions such as sadness, anger, frustration, or fear, which can lead to unhealthy ways of coping with difficult situations such as saying hurtful things we don’t mean or acting in an impulsive manner. While hopeful optimism allows us to acknowledge these emotions and give ourselves time to process them, while still maintaining reassurance that the situation will improve. 

When faced with a challenging situation, ask yourself:

• What do I have control over? (think of productive or helpful actions you can take in the present)

• What must I accept? (this refers to the factors beyond your control)

• What am I grateful for? 

• How can I make the situation better?

  Further research states that the main advantages to being an optimistic thinker are that you are more likely to be committed and persevere towards achieving your goals and have a higher tolerance when facing challenges. The belief that a successful performance is within their control and any unsuccessful performance is a temporary setback and opportunity to learn and grow.

Making it Happen

Pay attention to your mindset. The first step to understanding how your thoughts affect your actions and performance is to understand yourself. Recognize if your thoughts are productive or unhelpful. 

Learn how to acknowledge and process difficult emotions in a way that is healthy for you and those around you. Accept that some things are beyond your control and allow yourself time away from the situation to process how you feel.

Focus on the factors within your power and act towards making the situation better while remaining hopeful that circumstances will improve.