unrealistic optimism psychology definition

Maybe you’re that rare person who likes everyone you meet, but this tends to be more of an exception than a rule. In life, you’ll meet plenty of people who have vastly different personalities. So, someone could respect your kindness without actually liking you. Kindness goes a long way, and it’s safe to assume most people will have more positive regard for a kind person than an unkind one.īut plenty of factors also affect the way people feel about others, including: Some people hold the belief that as long as they’re kind, people will like them. While effort can sometimes influence others, you ultimately can’t control anyone else’s choices or needs. But it just doesn’t always work out that way. Without this expectation, you might feel less motivated to try. Most people want to believe that effort pays off, and that’s understandable. When your annual review comes up, you get plenty of positive feedback but only a small salary bump. You give 100 percent, volunteering to help coworkers and speaking up with new ideas.Īnd yet, someone with more seniority gets that promotion. Maybe when you show up at work, you really show up.

It’s a common belief that throwing yourself into something will yield positive results. Other expectations, like the ones below, might be slightly less grounded in reality. For example, this would be a perfectly realistic expectation: “With good communication, my partner and I can work out most minor relationship conflicts.” Some of your hopes might reflect things you can absolutely achieve. When do hope and optimism become unrealistic expectations? There’s no cut-and-dried answer, but looking at some common examples can offer some insight.īut first, let’s clarify what expectations are: They’re things you want to achieve or believe life will grant you.

Unrealistic optimism psychology definition