You Might be Right – the Glass is Half Empty – Now What
A friend texted, “I think of myself as more of a doomsday preparer.” I texted back, “Ahh! The advantage of pessimism is preparation.” Are there more?
Pessimism is, “An inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome.”
3 advantages of half-empty thinking:
#1. Pessimists don’t fail as often as optimists.
Optimists believe the Universe conspires to help us. Pessimists know the Universe is merciless at best.
An optimist is a naïve pessimist who hasn’t experienced the real world.
Pessimist’s motto: The more things you try – the more frequently you fail.
Unrealistic optimists underestimate difficulties. If you ask me, unrealistic optimists are a danger to teams.
#2. Pessimists aren’t disappointed as often as optimists. Pessimists believe…
Clouds don’t have a silver lining. People don’t always do the right thing. Hard work doesn’t always pay off. And sincerity isn’t fairy dust.
You can be completely sincere and completely wrong.
The joy of pessimism is, “See! I told you so.”
It turns out that imagining a positive future drains energy. Perhaps it’s useful to consider what might go wrong.
#3. Pessimists prepare for negative events.
Choose defensive pessimism over unrealistic optimism.
You need enough pessimism to anticipate difficulties and enough optimism to keep moving forward. (With great caution, of course.)
Extreme pessimists use one possible negative to reject an acceptable solution. Perhaps you need enough optimism to run a short-term pilot program that doesn’t cost too much.
5 advantages of half-full thinking:
Christine Carter writes that optimists are…
- More successful in school, at work, and in athletics
- Healthier and live longer
- More satisfied with their marriages
- Less likely to suffer from depression
- Less anxious
Tip:
Avoiding failure is helpful. But if you do fail, learn.
How might leaders navigate tensions between optimism and pessimism?
Bonus material:
A Point of View: The advantages of pessimism (BBC)
The Upside of Pessimism (The Atlantic)
The Benefits of Optimism (Berkeley)
Check out what’s in the Leadership Freak Complete Works: July 2020!
Always borrow money from a pessimist….they won’t expect it back. Haha.
I’m glad you embrace the spirit of this post. 🙂
Pessimists may fail less often. And they’re not a lot of fun to work with or to share life’s journey with….though a 100% optimist would drive me bonkers with those wild ideas that aren’t ever going to come to fruition. As in many things, moderation is key.
Thanks Christi. It concerns me that I have so many preferences about people. I don’t want you to be a pessimist. But don’t be too optimistic! I don’t like bubbly people! I’m so far from being bubbly that I think a bubbly person is faking.
Having said that, you are so right. A “good” pessimist is a real energy drain.
The opposite can be said also…”Pessimists succeed less often.” In part, because they view failure as a weakness and too often live in the world of Victimhood.
So true, Jim! 🙂
Pessimists definably succeed far less often and spoken in a joke A person walk to another person asked how do you to Carnegie hall and the person responded Practice Practice Practice. As giving up is a total failure. As most research are failures after failures and think the 700 steps and 3 month time to produce a silicon chip.
Designers/innovators see the glass half-full;
Clients/stakeholders see the glass half-empty;
Doers/CEO’s see the glass as just too damn big,
will take too long to fill,
and nobody’s paying for a full glass anyway. 🤭
Thanks Rurbane. I’m glad you’re having fun with this. I did.
Doers/CEO’s see the glass as just too damn big,
will take too long to fill, is true and what wrong with America now as short term thinking has let our country decay and dragging us down as during the early 90s we striped critical industry’s which is why we should look at this pandemic as a lesson of supply and demand now that on chips are a serious short supply. how would that been in the worlds wars if told your troops sorry did not the bullets shipment in new supply but should get more in a few months. I wanted 7 months for my new 3090 card and my replacement frig after 3 months wait still has no delivery date. Yet
Half full or half empty, both are just a moment in time, Both pessimists and optimists are more or less so as the move along the continuum of life. Being labeled as an optimist I just remind my folks that our role as leaders is to recognize the level in the glass and to help our teams realize that it is re-fillable! Failures are chances to learn and adjust, and challenges breed opportunity. I always appreciate your insights.
Thanks Dan. “Failures are chances to learn and adjust.” That’s something an optimist says!!
But, it’s fun to reflect on rising above the labels. It might be unrealistic, but still fun. Your advice to recognize the level in the glass is great. Perhaps it’s realistic optimism and realistic pessimism. (OH… those are lables.) 🙂
My dear colleague who is in the finance field referred to ‘practical skepticism.” It’s a concept that I have found very useful while coaching leaders as well as in my own world.
Thanks Stef. A gullible leader is a train wreck about to happen. I wonder if optimistic skeptic might work as well?
In my leadership posture I’m (nearly) always a strong optimist, leveraging vision and what CAN BE …
In leading and decision dynamics, I need some pessimists, they reinforce the Eore spirit of the 10000 things that could go wrong, and help me right size risks.
Thanks Ken. I’m with you. We all can use a bit of the “other” to help us embrace reality and make things better. But, a LITTLE pessimism goes a long way. 🙂
For sure, moderation is key.
I believe a healthy dose of pessimism can help keep stress levels a bit lower.
Thanks Nick. In a way, I hate the idea of moderation. It just seems bland. But, I have to acknowledge that too much optimism is dangerous – too much of a good thing.
Such a tough mode to be in we have both everywhere we go “I’m not going to get done today”? Did I say you had too? They are done by noon! 🙂
The spectrum is wide open, I like the optimistic side helps keep moral up believing in oneself and moving forward. If I allow myself to over think everything we tend to make a mountain out of a mole hill. There are times it does turn into that due to complications having worn the shoes before as well.
Thanks Tim. Overthinking is solved by taking the first step. I wonder if over-thinkers are simply trying to avoid action. But, to be fair, an over-thinker probably just wants to win.
Just want a win, a successful project!
Clouds don’t have a silver lining. People don’t always do the right thing. Hard work doesn’t always pay off. And sincerity isn’t fairy dust. So what, that’s just human nature and life. Once you accept that you can (if so inclined) plan with it in mind and just push forward. What really is the other option; dwelling in failure curled up in a ball in some corner?
Nicely put, Roger. Plan with reality in mind. I suppose our temperament paints reality so it can be a challenge to know if the glass is half full or half empty. But, your encouragement to press forward is preferable to curling up in a ball.
Dear Dan,
It’s the mind-set that matters! We think differently in difficult situations depending on our past experiences and the capabilities. At times, it’s better to go with a practical approach and act cautiously. Too much of optimism is also harmful. I feel, preaching is much easier than facing the reality situation with solution based steps.
Thanks Dr. Asher. The term mind-set feels powerful. So much depends on what we set our mind on. Perhaps an optimist should set there mind on potential problems and a pessimist should set their mind on opportunities. (At lease a little more.)
Great post Dan. “Choose defensive pessimism over unrealistic optimism.” I believe that you had a previous post that described “Paranoid Optimism”, 12/17/2018. I resonate with that versus the defensive mindset. The bottom line is that everyone must consider what might go wrong – it prevents catastrophic failure!
Thanks Andrew. You have a better memory than me!! 🙂 … But yes, paranoid optimism has a ring to it. In the end, when optimism prevents us from seeing imminent danger it’s not a good thing. And when pessimism prevents us from taking reasonable risk we’re already defeated.
Dan, I think your statement below– nails it.
You need enough pessimism to anticipate difficulties and enough optimism to keep moving forward. (With great caution, of course.)
Finding the right balance between optimism and pessimism is the challenge. The right balance differs in each situation.
We experience problems when our ratio is way off what it should be.
Paul,
I suspect the right balance is somewhere in being able to think critically w/o having a critical heart.
Thanks Robane,
Here is how I interpreted your comment.
Thinking critically mean you are a realist who feels positive about the future?
Pretty much, Paul …
Be real, but see it better;
Don’t let the b’tards convince you it can’t be.
One of my favorite subjects–glass half empty or full. I am a fundraising professional so used to progressing through failure, but I developed a new viewpoint on this several years ago while working at Courage Center, a fantastic non-profit making the greatest potential happen with people on a whole spectrum of disability services. It was there I developed my personal “glass” philosophy that I use minute by minute.
It’s the half-empty part that matters most becasue—tthis is where the POSSIBILITY is. The liquid may grow or shrink from day to day, but the possibility is what moves me forward–the empty part is where the creativity, hard work and payoff occurs. Having worked with clients and staff who were continually about possibilities changed my life and it’s my day to day way of working. And as fundraising has particular challenges right now, I appreciate even more having had the honor to represent people with disabilities years ago.
Thanks Melinda. The opportunity is in the half empty part seems optimistic. But, your point is powerful. In this case, focus more on what you don’t and and less on what you do have….and that’s a good thing.
Ah, I don’t see it as what “do have or don’t have” but more of what makes a glass full, even when the water is scarce.
Ahhh, but …
Is it wine, or water?
The strong desire to classify folks into dichotomous groupings always intrigues me, as my experiences show that almost everything in life is situational. And, success occurs more frequently when you employ approaches and strategies from both sides of the dichotomy when appropriate. Critical thinking to arrive at the right point along the spectrum of optimism and pessimism for any given situation seems prudent. If stakes are high, risks are high and the energy required to undertake the initiative is high, I hope critical thinking is applied to determine next steps – may seem like a pessimistic approach, but I would classify it as just prudent.
Thanks Ryan. Very logical of you. Now if I could just start making logical decisions???
Have you heard…. There are two types of people in the world. Those who put people into two categories and those who don’t.
Being an optimist, positive and hopeful person AND very bubbly- it’s my personality- I hate it when people accuse me of being fake. I assure you I have failed many times and lived through and had to push through some huge challenges that people tell me most would have been crushed by, but hope, faith and my ability to see beyond tempered with a dose of reality are what I consider to be my strengths and they have saved me from falling into the hole of pessimism.
Now I feel bad! But thanks for your comment, Lisa. In truth, I have learned that those BUBBLY people are NOT faking. It’s almost impossible for me to understand you happy folks. And yes, it’s important to note that you can have grit and smile. Actually, optimists have more grit than pessimists.
I’d say, “Keep smiling.” But I don’t have to. Cheers
Good read dan and also thanks for sharing the 5 advantages of half -full thinking…👊👍
To sum it up we can say that you can do anything but not everything…
Also I personally feel extreme optimist people suffer more from burnout than pessimist people 🙏