7 Simple Steps to Improving Your Optimistic Outlook

What is the key to earning more, achieving higher career levels, and happiness?

We can summarize in one word: optimism.

A plethora of research has now accumulated which links an optimistic outlook to all kinds of positive things, from higher sales to improved relationships.

Some people are more naturally optimistic than others but anyone can improve their optimism quotient. It’s a habit, and developing this habit is simply a matter of training your thoughts and actions to move in that direction.

Here are 7 simple, actionable tips to help you boost your optimism and see all kinds of wonderful results:

1. Practice gratitude daily. Focus on what you’re thankful for to improve your positive outlook. Each day write down or think of 3 things that you appreciate about your life in general or what’s happened that day
2. Ask yourself what’s the best that could happen. Pessimists focus on the worst thing that could happen, and optimists focus on the best. While it can be smart to also consider what could go wrong (see #5), the idea is to really focus your energies on what could go right.
3. Give yourself credit for successes. Do not attribute your successes to things like luck or the situation. When you do this, you feel that your achievements are precarious—like they could change at any time because they are not really due to you. Instead take responsibility for your role in them. (This is called internal locus of control.)
4. Give external factors credit for failures. Rather than beating yourself up and assuming that you always mess up, recognize external events that can explain the situation, things like a poor economy, insufficient resources, and the role of others. You can then problem solve to reduce the likelihood of these things happening in the future.
5. Have a failure plan. A healthy level of optimism does not involve being in denial that things can go wrong. Instead plan how you’d handle them in the unlikely event that they didn’t go as you’d like. Then return to focusing on what you want to happen (see #2).
6. Ask yourself “what else?” If you find yourself thinking “what if…?” and catastrophizing about negative things that can happen, ask yourself “What else could happen?” You’ll see that many positive outcomes could happen as well.
7. Suspend judgment. Sometimes it may not be the best idea to have a positive expectation or judgment, but it’s also not the best idea to get into a negative mindset. Assume a neutral stance by telling yourself that the situation is not inherently good or bad and that you’ll wait and see how it plays out.

As you can see, an optimistic outlook involves at times wearing rose-colored glasses and choosing to look at the positive side of things. Authentic optimism also involves staying neutral and looking at all parts of the equation before making the assumption that it won’t go well.

Healthy optimism involves both how you approach situations and how you interpret them after they occur. A positive outlook before a situation entails focusing on how you want it to go and assuming that you can handle it. A positive outlook after a situation entails looking at internal attributions for success and external attributions for failure.

You may be reluctant to put on these rose colored glasses, thinking that you want to be more “realistic.” I say, give it a try. After all, it has been proven to be helpful.

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