We are bombarded by those claiming that positive thinking is the path to success. Those with the alternative view, that negative thinking or at least thinking about worst case scenarios as realistic outcomes tend to be much less visible. And yet, there is much research showing that spending more time thinking about the downside than planning for success leads to better outcomes and a happier person.
As a regular visitor to some of the most desperately poor places in Africa, I’ve often noticed that the people I meet are much happier than many of the wealthy I work with. They don’t spend lots of time fantasizing about positive outcomes somewhere in the future but think about and plan for the fact that very often things don’t go right for them. Perhaps this is an effect of the power of thinking about worst case scenarios…which often are far worse than what actually occurs.
Postive thinking tends to convince you that things will work out fine, that your goals will be met and all will be well. Unfortunately for most people lots of things don’t work out this way. Things go poorly, goals remain unmet, and feelings of failure rise up within. The larger the difference between goal and result, the greater the dismay.
Postive thinking leading to anxiety and feelings of inadequacy. Hardly the expected result when do all the planning and energetically think positively that all will go according to plan.
Accomodating uncertainly and being realistic about what is to come lead to a more balanced life as well as often leading to prosperity, according to Saras Saravathy, Associate Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School of the University of Virginia. Oliver Burkman has written a whole book on the topic, The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking. Reading his work is actually what got me thinking about this topic. The people I meet on my projects in Africa gave it substance.
I’m not suggesting you become a miserable person. Stay upbeat, enthusiastic, and, yes, even a bit positive. Just add a heavy dose of reality and be realistic in how you look at things. Keep the worst that can happen in mind and think about what it means if it happens. Most of the time you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that things are going better than you thought they might have. Instead of worrying that you’re not achieving your goals you’ll find you’re exciting yourself by doing better than you expected. Now there’s a happy outcome.