Teacher Tea
The Price of Hope: The Hidden Costs of Optimism
In today’s article from Psychology Today, “Are You an Optimist or Pessimist About Our Changing World?,” Anthony Silard discusses the impact of optimism and pessimism on our well-being. He presents findings from a study that examined the relationship between optimism, pessimism, and financial outcomes. The study found that realists, or those who accurately predicted their financial situation, were the happiest. Optimists actually experienced more distress than realists, and pessimists experienced the most distress, even when their outcomes were better than expected. This suggests more broadly that, while optimism has certain benefits (such as increased motivation and kindness), it can also lead to unrealistic expectations and distorted views of reality. Perhaps a balanced approach, combining optimism with realism, is the most beneficial for well-being.
Our students’ outlook on life can significantly impact their achievement. Optimistic students are more likely to persevere through challenges and believe in their ability to succeed, but this article suggests that a certain degree of realism is also necessary. A positive mindset correlates with increased motivation, but a realistic sense of one’s progress can lead to greater overall satisfaction and a clearer perspective on the path forward. Pessimistic students, on the other hand, may be more likely to give up easily and underperform. Negative self-talk and a focus on potential failures hinders academic progress, to say the least. A student's general outlook, and their ability to realistically assess their own skills, can influence their engagement in learning and their overall resilience. Generally speaking, positive outlooks engender positive results in the classroom, and negative outlooks lead to disengagement.
How do our students view the world, and their future in it? Much has been written about the uncertainty of our time, and the difficulty of coming of age in our current social climate. Although this article doesn’t specifically frame its insights around students, it provides a good opportunity to reflect on how our students may be approaching their academic career.