"If you think you'll win every time, you'll only be disappointed. If you tread carefully and do what needs to be done, you'll unexpectedly achieve positive results." So says Nat, Britain's most renowned horse trainer, who leans toward pessimism. A study reported by The Wall Street Journal aligns with Nat's perspective: psychologists have discovered that a touch of pessimism offers significant advantages in the workplace.
Among us, there are many who hold varying degrees of pessimistic outlooks. Xiao Yin is one such person. He particularly dislikes when his boss adopts an "unshakable" demeanor amidst looming crises. "No matter the situation, I never view the circumstances as overly optimistic. I always anticipate potential problems arising at certain stages or the possibility of failing to meet performance targets,"" Colleagues privately call him a "pessimist."
In reality, so-called pessimists aren't as negative as people imagine. Pessimistic emotions may actually be more adaptive than optimism. Psychological studies show that when predicting success rates in gambling-like experiments, pessimists' estimates are far more accurate than optimists'. Thus, pessimists are more likely to make sound decisions.
Pessimism is adaptive because pessimists are more sensitive to pressure and crises, often preparing for the worst. In the natural and social environments of survival of the fittest, a sense of crisis is the psychological foundation for the survival of humans and other animals. It helps people mobilize physical and mental energy to achieve higher performance.
At the same time, pessimists anticipate setbacks and are better equipped to respond proactively.In contrast, blind optimists often rest easy before crises strike; when trouble arrives, they cry like the cold-weather bird, lamenting, "The freezing wind will kill me—I'll build a nest tomorrow." Once the crisis passes, such optimists struggle to learn from their experience. Conversely, pessimists retain deeper memories of past hardships, making them more likely to grow from setbacks.
However, pessimism must be tempered. Excessive pessimists view the future as a perilous, one-way path, swinging judgment to the opposite extreme of blindness. They feel all action is futile, potentially leading to passive coping. Moreover, sustained pessimism depletes energy reserves. Those who keep themselves constantly wound tight in the workplace would do well to find a haven for complete relaxation outside of work.