“If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.”
–Michael Jordan
Negative attitudes cost money and hinder success.
Now, usually, discussing things like attitudes and wealth can be frustrating. Attitudes are abstract and not always easy to link directly to wealth creation. So the connection can be hard to make.
However, virtually all research shows that people with negative attitudes are always shunned by the financially successful. With new research, it turns out that some of the reason is physiological, not just psychological.
In other words, a negative attitude does not just impact wealth creation in the ways you expect–failing to consider options, failing to act, etc. Negative thinking also impacts people who come into contact with it. And sometimes it damages our physical health.
WHERE A NEGATIVE OUTLOOK COMES FROM
Ironically, caution and negativity are baked into human nature–and have been essential for our survival.
Think about our history. Even as recently as a few hundred years ago, day-to-day life was extremely hazardous, and excessive caution and fear were justified. Predators and other animals could attack human settlements without warning. And there were other dangers too–disease, pestilence, and hunger were always around the corner. So caution and healthy fear were just common sense.
To adapt, our brains are wired to keep and retain negative memories more than positive ones. The reason for that is obvious. If you forgot an unpleasant lesson in a dangerous world, it could kill you. The retention of negative impressions and memories helped to guard humankind’s survival.
YOUR PHYSIOLOGY, SAFETY, AND OUTLOOK
Things are a lot safer these days.
But while our life safety has changed, our brains have not.
The amygdala, two small regions in the brain, uses most of its neurons to sense negative input. In other words, your brain is programmed to assume that the predators and dangers are still out there, so it assumes that conditions are likely to be hazardous.
As a consequence, positive memories are stored less than negative ones and don’t make as strong an impression.
THE PHYSICAL COSTS OF ASSOCIATING WITH NEGATIVE PEOPLE
So, given our natural predisposition to focus on and remember negatives, what happens when we associate with negative people? You know, people who discourage us, like naysayers or people who belittle innovative ideas and excellence? Or, skeptics? Or even worse, people who complain constantly?
Well, these sorts of people are serving up potent doses of brain poison. You see, negative thoughts and inputs change brain chemistry. For instance, when people feel stress from negativity, the stress hormone Cortisol is released and eventually destroys neurons in a part of the brain called the hippocampus.
Now, don’t misunderstand. Cortisol is a necessary component of our survival. It is essential to trigger our fight or flight response and raise blood pressure and blood sugar to prepare us for action. We survived in prehistory because the fight or flight response prepared us to face all kinds of danger—from enemies to predators.
But when we think about the safer world today, the situation is different. And yet, the fight or flight survival reaction still kicks in even when it is not as needed. Unfortunately, that causes a lot of extra Cortisol to be released. Excessive release impairs your immune system. And too much can even contribute to high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. It can make the brain more vulnerable to strokes.
There is some good news. Being excessively negative is neither objective nor necessary now. And focusing on the negative can limit your ability to sense an opportunity—whether it is to make money or achieve your goals. The key is to know what is happening.
YOUR MONEY: NEGATIVE PEOPLE ARE BRAIN PREDATORS
Is it any wonder then that most successful people avoid those who engage in negative thinking?
Successful people know they should not allow the influence of negative people to sabotage them. That avoidance is a form of self-defense that allows them to succeed.
MAINTAINING OBJECTIVE BALANCE BETWEEN THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE–OPTIMISTS
If our brains are tilted toward storing negative experiences, can we do anything else to counteract that tendency and gain a better balance? And in turn, can we use a better balance to make money decisions?
The answer is yes. It turns out that cultivating optimism in the modern era is more objective in a world of decreased risks. Those who are optimistic are merely being more realistic about their prospects. To see how one group improved optimism see here.
There is a lot of evidence that optimism breeds success and creates wealth too. For example, a Harvard study concluded it increased positive outcomes in business. The study was so striking that the study’s author has even asserted that optimism, not skill, was a better predictor of success in hiring than any other factor. As a result, he has encouraged companies to recruit that way.
SOME CONCLUSIONS
So, when successful people choose between betting on an optimist or a pessimist, it turns out they are going with the odds when they choose optimists. They are just balancing the scales in an objective way.
However, it is a mistake to think that being positive and avoiding the negative is some cure-all.
And no one is advocating that you take optimistic, but foolish, chances.
But an optimistic attitude appears to be heavily linked to success. Moreover, it is also loosely connected to what we commonly think of as “luck”. Those who have read MMH before know that luck is more skill than random chance. To find out about that, see here.
NEXT POST: OPTIMISM—LIVE LONGER AND RICHER: THE PROOF
I will talk a little more in the next post about some noteworthy studies that have been completed–and what you can learn from optimistic ultra-high net worth individuals.
It turns out that optimism is a kind of secret weapon that many of the most successful people in our society use.
Author’s note: This post is adapted from a chapter in my future book. Stay tuned! At least eighty percent of book profits will go toward eradicating homelessness.
Photo credit: Pricilla Du Preeze
License: Unsplash
Disclaimer: consult with a financial fiduciary before taking any steps outlined here. Not all advice may be suitable for your circumstances or investment style