Learned optimism…Yes, it’s possible and you can learn it too.
“Some people are just born positive.” Have you ever heard that? Perhaps you’ve even said it.
Martin Seligman, in his groundbreaking work Learned Optimism (1990), challenged that belief. He proposed something both liberating and confronting – optimism is not a personality trait reserved for the lucky few. It is a learned explanatory style. In other words, it is shaped by how you explain what happens to you.
And that means you can change it.
Let’s explore how and take Key Steps to…
‘be the difference that makes the difference.”
- Understand the three lenses (3 P’s) that shape your optimism.
Seligman suggests that when something happens in your life – good or bad – you automatically explain it to yourself. These explanations hinge on three critical dynamics:
1.1. Permanence – Will this last forever?
When something goes wrong, do you see it as temporary or permanent?
- “I forgot to fill my petrol tank yesterday.” – Temporary.
- “I never remember to fill my petrol tank.” – Permanent.
Can you hear the difference? One reflects a moment. The other defines an identity.
Pessimists tend to see setbacks as permanent. Optimists see them as temporary.
And that subtle shift determines whether you try again tomorrow.
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1.2. Pervasiveness – Does this affect everything?
Do you generalise a single failure into every area of your life?
Seligman writes, “People who make universal explanations for their failures give up on everything when a failure strikes in one area. People who make specific explanations may become helpless in that one part of their lives yet march stalwartly on in the others.” For example:
- “I didn’t do well in that presentation.” – Specific.
- “I’m terrible at communication.” – Universal.
One limits the setback. The other expands it into your entire identity.
Optimistic thinkers contain the damage. They don’t let one event define the whole story.
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1.3. Personalisation – Where does attribution lie?
When something negative happens, do you automatically blame yourself? Or do you blame everyone else?
If we internalise everything – “It’s all my fault” – our self-esteem erodes.
If we externalise everything – “It’s always someone else” – we disempower ourselves and damage relationships.
Healthy optimism requires balance. It calls for accurate reality testing.
- What was genuinely within my control?
- What wasn’t?
- What can I learn?
This is where maturity and emotional intelligence lives.
NOTE: Psychologist Julian Rotter (1954) introduced the concept of locus of control – our belief about what primarily causes the events in our lives.
- An internal locus of control says: My actions matter.
- An external locus of control says: Life happens to me.
Neither extreme is helpful on its own. It’s important to recognise both personal responsibility and external reality. You don’t want to collapse into helplessness, nor do you want to inflate into blame.
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- Your formula for optimism.
A powerful reframe: When explaining positive events: Make them permanent, universal and internal.
- “I succeeded because I prepared well.”
- “Good things happen because I am consistent and committed.”
- “My faith anchors my success.”
Let the good news stick. Own it. Expand it.
When explaining negative events: Make them temporary, specific and external.
- “The flat tyre today was caused by nails on the highway.”
- “That meeting didn’t go well because I didn’t have enough data.”
- “This is a setback, not a life sentence.”
Contrast that with, “I always get flat tyres because I can never avoid road hazards.”
Hear how quickly “always” and “never” trap you? Language matters. It shapes belief. Belief shapes behaviour. Behaviour shapes destiny.
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- Regularly reflect on your inner narrative – journalling is very powerful.
How do you usually explain what happens in your life?
When something goes wrong:
- Do you say always?
- Do you say never?
- Do you globalise?
- Do you collapse inward?
When something goes right:
- Do you dismiss it as luck?
- Do you minimise your contribution?
- Do you shrink your success?
Your explanatory style is either building resilience or quietly eroding it.
The Good News. Optimism is not naïve positivity. It is not denial. It is not pretending that life is easy. It is the disciplined practice of choosing explanations that empower growth and resilience. And it can be learned.
The real question then becomes: What story are you rehearsing today?
Change your narrative, change your life and take Key Steps to…
‘be the difference that makes the difference.”
