Blind Optimism: Definition, Benefits, And A Positive Outlook Explained

Medically reviewed by Majesty Purvis, LCMHC and Melissa Guarnaccia, LCSW
Updated October 14, 2024by BetterHelp Editorial Team

An optimist is often defined as someone who expects positive occurrences in their life. This anticipation of positivity can have an all-encompassing effect on how an optimist confronts problems and cope with life's adversities. Optimists are often considered resilient to stressful situations and may lean on healthy coping mechanisms, reflecting a healthier physical and mental health mindset. 

While some researchers have concluded that optimism is a personality trait, you can choose to view life positively and increase your optimism. To begin, understanding the definition and benefits of living an optimistic life can be valuable.

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Quotes about optimism, hope, and belief

Over time, philosophers, songwriters, comedians, writers, and poets have reflected and written about optimism in the light of a stressful and complicated life. Below are a few popular quotes on this topic to consider: 

  • "Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise." -Victor Hugo
  • "Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars and see yourself running with them." -Marcus Aurelius
  • "The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist fears this is true." -James Branch Cabell
  • "We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorns have roses." -Alphonse Karr
  • "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." -Helen Keller
  • "To be optimistic is to assume things will work out. To be hopeful is to realize things can work out if you work at them." -Eric Liu 

What is optimism?

A concise definition of optimism is the tendency to have hope and confidence about future outcomes. In philosophy, optimism is a doctrine stating that this world is the best of all possible worlds.

Synonyms for optimism

Many optimism synonyms also describe the beauty of this attitude. These include but are not limited to the following: 

  • Confidence
  • Elation
  • Enthusiasm
  • Happiness
  • Positiveness
  • Sunniness
  • Assurance 
  • Calmness
  • Cheerfulness
  • Encouragement
  • Exhilaration
  • Hopefulness 
  • Looking on the bright side

At times, an optimism synonym reveals possible challenges in feeling consistently optimistic. Synonyms associated with the negative impacts of optimism may include:

  • Naivety 
  • Idealism 
  • Wearing rose-colored glasses
  • Childishness 
  • Ignorance

Optimism vs. pessimism: What's the difference? 

Optimism and pessimism are often referred to together in context. Pessimism and optimism are attitudes and mindsets, but one is positive, while the other is negative. When considering how to see various situations in your life, you might consider an optimistic or pessimistic outlook. 

While some people find assurance in pessimism, others choose optimism. If you tend to choose a pessimistic outlook, you may feel it is the safest option. If the negative outcome you expect happens, you might feel unsurprised. It can make you feel justified that pessimism is healthiest. However, you may feel pleasantly surprised if your pessimistic outcome doesn't happen. For many people, this is a win-win situation. 

In contrast, someone who chooses optimism may believe they must believe in their hopes and dreams to achieve a positive outcome. In some cases, positive outcomes may occur. However, when an optimist receives a negative or unwanted outcome they did not expect, they may continue their optimistic outlook to see it as a situation to grow or learn from. With the information they have gained, they may go back and try again or apply their knowledge to a new endeavor.

Types of optimism

There are many ways to categorize optimism. These categories can be dependent upon context and deeper meanings. Below are a few ways to see optimism. 

Dispositional optimism: Faith in a positive outlook

Dispositional optimism is an optimistic mindset. Individuals with this mindset may have high expectations for one outcome and tend to see the world optimistically. A dispositional optimist may also display a sunny disposition and see the positive in every person, place, or circumstance in their life. This optimistic outlook is often accompanied by a deep-seated faith in the idea that positive outcomes are possible, which further strengthens their positive perspective on life.

Blind optimism: Having an overly positive attitude about something without considering potential problems or challenges

A blindly optimistic person looks on the bright side of life no matter the outcome of its events. They may believe that what they want to happen will indeed happen, regardless of any evidence to the contrary. They might also ignore information that could negatively impact the outcome.

Blind optimism can lead to success and fulfillment. At times, the force of will is so significant that you can create positive outcomes through positive thinking. However, blind optimism can also cause you to miss vital information that might change your decisions about making what you want to happen.

A blind optimist may also practice reckless optimism and put themselves in dangerous situations. For example, they might throw their life savings into a risky investment or move without saving up. They might also feel that consequences cannot impact them. In their enthusiasm, they act without caution, often overlooking the potential risks involved.

If you feel blind optimism is not working well for you, there are a few ways to reduce your optimism. For example, learning tenants of realistic optimism can be beneficial. Realistic optimism is a way of looking at accurate facts while maintaining a positive view of how the actual possibilities may lead to success or fulfillment.

Cruel optimism

A cruel optimist may have a hopeful outlook in the face of an impossible situation. When this situation does not work how they perceive it, they may feel devastated or hateful toward themselves. You may be experiencing cruel optimism when you believe that all of your dreams will come true in a situation that has been proven otherwise. 

Someone who has control or influence in your life can also have cruel optimism. If they make promises to you based on their unrealistic hopes, you may feel crushed when those outcomes do not happen the way they promised you they would.

Philosophical optimism: A profound belief

Philosophical optimism looks at positivity on a more profound scale. First explained by the philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, philosophical optimism is the doctrine that the universe tends toward improvement and that our current world is the best of all possible worlds. 

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was a philosopher, logician, and mathematician of his century who was most well-known for inventing calculus in the 18th century. However, his philosophical optimism endures to this day as "the doctrine of the best world." Leibniz believed that God created the world to be the best of all possible worlds and that only positivity can come from it. 

A philosophical optimist believes that benevolent forces will ultimately triumph over evil. When you follow the doctrine of philosophical optimism, you may interpret your life regarding the part you have played in improving the world. 

Pessimistic optimism

A pessimistic optimist may hold opposing views on the world. For instance, they might believe that the world is a hostile place where unwanted events typically happen. However, they may not be cynical about everything as a pessimist might. They may believe that, despite the prevalence of adverse outcomes, positive change is possible and can be made with time. 

Cautiously optimistic: Enthusiasm with caution

When cautiously optimistic, you might believe the best will happen without giving your whole heart and energy to the endeavor. You may understand that you could be wrong, so you watch and wait, hoping for the best. 

This phrase is often used in medical settings when someone has been severely harmed and received the best possible care. While everything possible has been done and has come out well, a doctor may realize the gravity of a patient's condition and how much they must overcome. Thus, they practice cautious optimism if they think, "We have done every possible intervention we could for this patient and hope they make it." 

Learned optimism

Learned optimism is optimism gained from others and the world around you. To practice learned optimism, you can read self-help books on the topic, learn from a parent, caregiver, or loved one with an optimistic outlook on life, or learn through trial and error. After learning, practice can help you increase your optimistic outlook. 

One potentially efficient way to gain learned optimism is to interact with someone who can teach you how to build it. Talking to a therapist that has an education in optimism may be beneficial. 

Getty/Nitat Termmee

What is optimism bias?

Optimism bias is a pattern of thought. It may involve the belief that you have less risk of adverse outcomes than positive ones. It is the difference between a person's expectations and the outcome that follows. In this thought pattern, the bias is optimistic when your expectations are better than reality. The bias is pessimistic if your reality is better than your expectations. 

An example of optimism bias is thinking your vacation will be fabulous when it is not. Optimism bias may come from the environment you grew up in, but it also has a biological basis. 

Optimism bias is an integral thought pattern in a majority of the population and may be an integral part of human nature, evolved as a trait of overconfidence. It happens in the amygdala and rostral anterior cingulate cortex of the brain, which are the parts of the brain activated to control emotions. This process helps individuals maintain their emotional equilibrium despite adverse events.

What does the world gain from optimism, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude?

Although blind optimism can lead to devastation, realistic optimism may benefit the world. People who dream, impart their ideas to others, and get out and make actionable plans for positive change are considered optimistic. They believe what they think or do matters, which may motivate them to continue. 

Inventors are optimistic in that they keep trying until they find a solution to a problem. Anyone who learns a difficult skill is often optimistic enough to believe they will improve with practice. In addition, artists often work to be optimistic enough to believe that their expressions will matter to someone, even if only to them. While not everyone who accomplishes a project or goal has an optimistic disposition, they may be optimistic that what they do will positively impact the world.

Optimism in science: Hope and confidence in progress

The Earth Optimism Summit is a meeting where scientists get together to impart success stories, discuss positive outcomes of research, and compete to improve the world. This gathering embodies optimism in science, fostering hope and confidence that scientific advancements are leading us toward tangible progress. The summit's optimistic view that science can and is improving the world may help bring together the powerful forces of science and spirituality.

Optimism in business

Optimism has a significant impact on the success of businesses. When business owners feel confident that the economy will improve, they may hire new people, raise salaries, and make investments for their future.

One measure of how positively small business owners see the future is the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index. The Small Business Optimism Index shows how positivity increases or decreases month by month in the small business arena. When the index is high, business owners are taking positive steps to build their businesses.

What you can gain from being optimistic

If you want to practice more optimism in your life, you may have a great deal to gain. Some of the attributes and associated benefits of optimism include:
  • Optimistic people live longer, according to scientific research.
  • More optimistic people may feel happier.
  • Optimism can build perseverance, self-esteem, and self-respect.
  • Choosing optimism may help you control your emotions.
  • Positivity improves your prognosis if you have a medical condition.
  • Expecting positive outcomes helps improve your resilience to tragedy and trauma.
  • Those who are optimistic often welcome positive change.

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

A person's expectations (positive or negative) of the future can play a significant role in coping with life's challenges and disappointments. Studies have shown a significant positive relationship between optimism and resilience against stressful situations. 

In addition, optimism can indirectly but positively affect your mental health and general well-being. People who expect positive outcomes in their future may choose a healthier lifestyle. They may also cognitively practice intellectual flexibility to adverse outcomes and problem-solving. 

Looking to change your negative mindset to optimistic?

Developing greater optimism

Because optimism is a choice, you can decide to be more optimistic and make that change. To do this, you may benefit from changing your thought patterns. A therapist can help you identify pessimistic thoughts and find their source. After identifying your unwanted thoughts, they can help you evaluate them to decide whether to keep those thoughts in mind or choose other thoughts to replace them.

Effectiveness of online therapy

You may find that online therapy is an appropriate fit for you if your busy schedule requires a convenient timeslot not available with in-person therapy. Online therapy has been shown in studies to help those struggling with depression and pessimism. In one study, 466 participants joined due to their interest in becoming happier through online positive psychology interventions (OPPIs). The participants who were randomly assigned to online optimism-building interventions reported that they engaged more in activities that brought them happiness and experienced less dysfunctional pessimism in their daily lives.

You can talk to a licensed counselor through an online platform like BetterHelp to explore your current pessimism and develop the type of optimism that works for you. With a growing platform of over 30,000 licensed therapists, you can meet with someone who meets your preferences and connect with a provider specializing in various areas of mental healthcare. 

Takeaway

Optimism can have many benefits in your life, and multiple types of optimism can be learned. If you're struggling to be optimistic in the face of challenges, you might benefit from speaking to a therapist about the concepts of optimism and pessimism in further detail.
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