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Optimism is positive thinking, focusing on the good in a situation, while pessimism focuses on the negative. Optimists are more open to possibilities and tend to have better overall health and coping skills. However, they may be criticized for avoiding reality.
An optimist is a person who engages in positive thinking, or “looking on the bright side” of things. Optimism is the prospect that good things will happen, even though the situation may not look entirely good at the moment. This is the opposite of a pessimist.
While a pessimist focuses on the negative aspects of a situation, the optimist focuses on the positives. The glass half empty/half full is a classic example of the difference between optimism and pessimism. This person will see the glass as half full as he will appreciate that there is still half a glass of something left. The pessimist, on the other hand, will see the same glass as half empty, and will focus on what is missing or no longer in the glass.
Sir Winston Churchill was a self-described optimist. He said, “As far as I’m concerned, I’m an optimist – it doesn’t seem to be very useful to be anything else.” Positive thinkers tend to be more open to possibilities since, unlike pessimists, they tend not to discount something that may exist. Helen Keller is known for saying that “No pessimist has ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed into an uncharted land or opened a new door into the human spirit.”
However, these people have been criticized for putting such a positive spin on things, that they may be avoiding reality. They are often described with expressions such as “seeing the world through rose-colored glasses” or “having their head in the sand”, as they can see that something is good, when perhaps it is not. Daniel J. Keardon is credited with commenting that “In the long run, the pessimist may be right, but the optimist has a better time on the journey.”
Optimists are not usually passive in wanting situations to be the best possible, but are said to tend to take a proactive approach to making things better. Studies show they have a lower risk of depression than pessimists, and they also tend to have better overall health. They are also said to have better coping skills, as they tend to realize what they can and cannot control, helping to make their life more positive.
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