Events

Optimists often get bad press. They’re dismissed for seeing things through rose tinted glasses. Yet, the fascinating thing is that optimists are, on average, far more successful and they also happen to enjoy better health and live longer. We also know from the research that those who err on the side of pessimism are far more likely to develop depression and struggle with motivation. In this talk we’ll explore some of the science that underpins optimism to help explain why optimists often achieve more, including stories of Olympic swimmers, nuns and insurance salespeople. We will also look at what optimism is not and how to avoid some of the pitfalls associated with unbound ‘toxic’ positivity. Finally, we’ll take a closer look at what differentiates the thinking patterns of optimists to those of pessimists, looking at the three Ps of pessimism (personalisation, pervasiveness and permanence). We’ll work though several examples to showcase how to successfully challenge pessimistic thinking and look at other science-backed ways to cultivate greater positivity, which can help reshape the lens through which our brain experiences the world, increasing motivation, resilience and long-term health and longevity.