Unit 3.1 Optimism

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c1 INTRODUCTION

The Twins

There is a story of identical twins. One was a hope-filled optimist. "Everything is coming up roses!" hewould say. He thought that Murphy, as in Murphy's Law, was an optimist. The other twin was a sad and

hopeless pessimist. The worried parents of the boys brought them to the local psychologist.

He suggested to the parents a plan to balance the twins" personalities. "On their next birthday, put them in

separate rooms to open their gifts. Give the pessimist the best toys you can afford, and give the optimist abox of manure." The parents followed these instructions and carefully observed the results.

When they peeked in on the pessimist, they heard him audibly complaining, "I don't like the color of this

computer. I'll bet this calculator will break . . . I don't like the game . . . I know someone who's got a bigger

toy car than this . . ."

Tiptoeing across the corridor, the parents peeked in and saw their little optimist gleefully throwing the

manure up in the air. He was giggling. "You can't fool me! Where there's this much manure, there's gotta bea pony!"

Task

What sort of a person are you?

The optimistic twins who always think positive?

The pessimist twins who always complaining?

Discuss in group the characteristics of an optimistic person.

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Are you an Eeyore or a Tigger?

A.A Milnes characters in Winnie-the-Pooh have brought decades of enjoyment to the young and the old.

As well as the portly Pooh Bear, there is a collection of other animal characters, including the pessimisticdonkey, Eeyore and irrepressible and hugely enthusiastic tiger called Tigger.

There are people we meet in life who are Tiggers, optimistic, full of bounce and energy. The glass isalways half-full rather than half-empty. They can exhaust people, but they can also energize them and

cause them to be positive. Then there are those like Eeyore for whom it is always raining or about to rain,

provided, of course, the sky doesnt fall in first. These people can also be exhausting, but it is exhaustioncaused by being drained, sucked dry of hope and vitality.

Point to ponder?

What sort of a person are you?

Are you the sort of person who adds to the pleasure of a group?

Are you sort of person who takes from the pleasure of a group?

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There are two types of

people you meet: those who

give you energy, and those

who take your energy.

Name three of your friends that can be

associated with Tiggers exuberance.

a)

b)

c)

Name three of your friends that can be

associated with Eeyores exhaustion.

a)

b)

c)

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Lessons from an Oyster

There once was an oysterWhose story I tell,

Who found that some sand

Had got into his shell.

It was only a grain,

but it gave him great pain.

For oysters have feelingsalthough they're so plain.

Now, did he berate

the harsh workings of fateThat had brought him

To such a deplorable state?

Did he curse at the government,

Cry for election,And claim that the sea should

Have given him protection?

'No,' he said to himself

As he lay on a shell,Since I cannot remove it,

I shall try to improve it.

Now the years have rolled around,As the years always do,And he came to his ultimate

Destiny stew.

And the small grain of sand

That had bothered him soWas a beautiful pearl

All richly aglow.

Now the tale has a moral,

for isn't it grandWhat an oyster can do

With a morsel of sand?

What couldn't we do

If we'd only beginWith some of the things

That get under our skin.

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Is your glass

usually half-full

or half empty?

We need to pay more attention

to the mind and to remain as

positive as we can withoutlosing contact with reality.

You must be the change you w

to see in the worldMahatma Gandhi

A pessimist sees the difficulty in

very opportunity; an optimist sees

he opportunity in every difficulty Winston Churchill

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ADRIFT

In 1982 Steven Callahan was crossing the Atlantic alone in his sailboat when it struck something and sank.He was out of the shipping lanes and floating in a life raft, alone. His supplies were few. His chances were

small. Yet when three fishermen found him seventy-six days later (the longest anyone has survived a

shipwreck on a life raft alone), he was alive -- much skinnier than he was when he started, but alive.

His account of how he survived is fascinating. His ingenuity -- how he managed to catch fish, how he fixedhis solar still (evaporates sea water to make fresh) -- is very interesting. But the thing that caught my eye

was how he managed to keep himself going when all hope seemed lost, when there seemed no point in

continuing the struggle, when he was suffering greatly, when his life raft was punctured and after more than

a week struggling with his weak body to fix it, it was still leaking air and wearing him out to keep pumpingit up. He was starved. He was desperately dehydrated. He was thoroughly exhausted. Giving up would have

seemed the only sane option.

When people survive these kinds of circumstances, they do something with their minds that gives them thecourage to keep going. Many people in similarly desperate circumstances give in or go mad. Something the

survivors do with their thoughts helps them find the guts to carry on in spite of overwhelming odds.

"I tell myself I can handle it," wrote Callahan in his narrative. "Compared to what others have been

through, I'm fortunate. I tell myself these things over and over, building up fortitude...."

I wrote that down after I read it. It struck me as something important. And I've told myself the same thingwhen my own goals seemed far off or when my problems seemed too overwhelming. And every time I've

said it, I have always come back to my senses.

The truth is, our circumstances are only bad compared to something better. But others have been through

much worse. I've read enough history to know you and I are lucky to be where we are, when we are, nomatter how bad it seems to us compared to our fantasies. It's a sane thought and worth thinking.

So here, coming to us from the extreme edge of survival, are words that can give us strength. Whatever

you're going through, tell yourself you can handle it. Compared to what others have been through, you're

fortunate. Tell this to yourself over and over, and it will help you get through the rough spots with a little

more fortitude.

Task

How Steven Callahan managed to keep his mind positive

during difficult circumstances?

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Fun Brain Teasers

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Unit: 3.1 Optimism

Words to

Find

celebration

decorationslights

mistletoe

family

dinner

fruitcake

Christmas

play

gifts

giving

excitement

childrenvacation

cedar trees

M S A M T S I R H C K M I X V

Z N N C B E G Y B Z G W R Z S

J G O S V I X P D L H Q S N K

N E N I E M P C H F Y F O J L

E F O I T E S Z I F B I W E Y

R S R T V A R G C T T O U S D

D C T U E I R T X A E P L A Y

L N C H I L G B R G C M T L Y

I U O J G T T O E A S B E C U

H S A I U I C S O L D V Y N G

C K T O T E L A I J E E N X T

T Z B F D A H B K M K C C P I

G W U Y I B C S Z E X R L R A

M U G R N G Y A B F A M I L Y

D D I N N E R M V R W T W S G

Task

Discuss in a pair, five activities that can

promote healthy mind.

a)__________________________________

b)__________________________________

c)__________________________________

d)__________________________________

e)__________________________________

Riddle

Steady and straight we do go,

Not too fast and not too slow,

On black dust we do roll,

Tremendous weight we can pull,

We are many but still one,

What are we?


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How to Manage Your Weakness and Spotlight Your Strengths

Do you remember in Science class when you learned Isaac Newtons third law of motion? For every

action, there is an equal but opposite, reaction!

Newton was a genius. Not only did he find law of motion, he discovered one of the best personal

development theories.

For every strength, there is an equal, but opposite, weakness

But how can you use this to improve your personal development?

How can you use this to develop your professional strength as a student?

Being told your strengths: A valuable way to reinforce a positive frame of mind is to be

reminded by your peers of your strengths.

Task: Group activity

In group of 4-6, take it in turns to talk about each member of the group. Two comments about the

person are required from each member.

WhatI most appreciate about you is. WhatI think you are particularly gifted at is.

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Creativity

Persistence

Integrity

Kindness

Curiosity

Spirituality


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Being a Tigger is good if it means being optimistic, energetic and engaging. These are desirable traits in a

leader. If being a Tigger involves a self-centeredness, brashness and high-volume dominance, then such aperson may be rejected as a leader.

Being an Eeyore is bad if it means there is a tendency to be negative. The mean-spirited, cynical anddoubting person is going to be rejected as a leader, irrespective of how clever or politically powerful theyare. Having noted this, the quieter person, the person who weighs their comments carefully, who is skilled

at encouraging others to talk, who engages in active listening, can be very effective as a leader.

Task

What does active listening mean?

Synergy

Some people add to the synergy of a group, others take it away. Synergy may be described as the collective

energy of a group. Those who add to the synergy of a group, often more effective as leaders. However,there are other social characteristics appreciated by followers. The loud and talkative person who is heavily

opinionated and domineering may irritate to the extent people do not want to be led by such a person. The

quieter person who speaks with tact and integrity, on the other hand, can be greatly appreciated and mayemerge as the real leader of the group.

Good leaders are sensitive enough to know what group wants. It may be a word of encouragement, or a

touch of humour to lighten the mood, or a realisation that the salt needs to be passed to the other end of thetable or that the hostess needs to be reassured that the meal was delicious.

Task

What does synergy mean to you?

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CREATEYour Way Your Way

FINAL SOLUTION

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Franklin Covey: Synergy is achieved when two or more people work together to create something

better than either could alone. Through this habit, teens learn it doesnt have to be

your way or my way but rather a better way, a higher way. Synergy allows tovalue differences and better appreciate other.

Paradigm shift

Ineffective : Its either your way or my way or a compromise.

Effective : Together we can create a better way, a higher way.

Task: Case Study

The Barking Dog

At 7 a.m. on Saturday you are awakened by the phone ringing. Its your neighbor who, rather gruffly, tells

you that your barking Cocker Spaniel kept him awake for several hours last night. He suggests you put thedog to sleep. You are taken aback by his comment and feel defensive. But then you remember synergy

paradigm. Rationally, you suggest there is probably an alternative that could satisfy both you and your

neighbor, and you ask him for suggestions.

Together, you resolved your differences with alternative solutions.

Your viewpoint

Neighbors viewpoint

Final solution

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When presented with a problem, use these ten easy steps for problem solving.

The following advice is given to those who find themselves having their optimism weakened because of

having to confront a problem.

1. Watch your body language- no sighs, no slumped shoulders. Maintain a good posture.

2. Watch your language- word spoken often reflect your state of mind. Avoid using phraseswe

cant do this.

3. Define and clarify the main issues. Is the matter urgent, important or both.

4. Gather all the facts and understand the causes.

5. Use the brainstorming techniques- individually or with a team.

6. Divide the big problem into series of smaller ones and tackle one problem at a time.

7. Consider and compare the pros and cons of each option.

8. Select the best option-avoid vagueness or foot in both camps compromise. Be clear of your

option!

9. Explain your decision to those involved and affected by the decision.

0. Follow up to ensure proper and effective implementation.

Task

What other advice could you give relating to handling a problem in a positive manner?

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It's not that I'm so smart; it's just that I

stay with problems longer(AlbertEinstein)

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Conclusion

Optimism is important in the life of a leader. An optimistic person is generally an attractive person,

someone who is able to draw others around them because of the encouragement they give.

In a world characterised by a great deal of insecurity, fear and uncertainty, an optimistic person can be aparticular encouragement. This is not to say that there should be a denial of lifes problems or a perpetual

mental residence in some fictitious happy land. It is to say a leader has a positive frame of mind and accepts

there are problems but works to solve them.

A person falling from a multi-storey building was heard to say as they passed each floor, so far so good.

This unrealistic optimism is not what is being encouraged. What is being suggested is that people generally

follow a leader because they believe a leader can make their life better. If a person signals that they cannot

make their followers lives better, then they may cease to be an effective leader.

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NOTES AND INSIGHTS

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NOTES AND INSIGHTS

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Unit 3.1 Optimism

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