If you’ve ever told yourself one of the following, this video is for you:
- “I’ll do it tomorrow”
- “Maybe I’ll do it someday”
- “I’ll just wait a bit before doing it”
- “I’ll just do X before doing it”
- “I’ll do it later today”
Check this out…
Passive optimism is subtle. It’s so subtle that you have to pay VERY CLOSE attention to the thoughts in your mind to see it at work. Again, passive optimism is the belief or feeling that things will get better over time, even though you aren’t doing anything to act upon it.
It’s this psychological perspective that gives you hope. Hope is the feeling you get when you don’t like the feeling you’ve got.
I can’t remember where I read this, but someone compared Hope to the drug opium, and called it “Hopeium”. Lame as hell, but still true.
Many people will use hope to give themselves PERMISSION to act stupidly in the moment and justifying their emotionally-driven decisions. Then they end up getting addicted to hope and their lives keep getting worse and worse.
Take shopping for example.
“OH, that TV is nice… but I just don’t think I can afford it. Well, I’ll probably get that promotion at work, so maybe if I just finance it I can get it. Yeah, it would look reaalll good sitting up on the wall. Yeah, I’ll definitely get that promotion, this will only add like $25 onto my monthly payments, that’s nothing. Let’s get it”
^^^^^^
DOES THIS SOUND REALLY STUPID TO YOU TOO?
Me too… the scary thing is that this is HOW PEOPLE THINK! People actually go through this process in their minds about almost every single buying decision. Buying completely on emotion and justifying it with flawed logic to make themselves feel better.
No wonder most people struggle so much with finances and health.
Take chocolate cake for another example.
“Oh, that chocolate cake looks really good. I bet it just tastes delicious. Look at the frosting on top, that’ll taste super good too. I probably shouldn’t… but I’ll work it off in the gym tomorrow. It’s probably only like 200 or 300 calories, that’s just a bit of cardio. Wow, this is going to taste so good. And I can definitely afford it, I’ve been working hard, I’ve been so stressed, this is definitely what I deserve. Om nom nom.”
Passive optimism in full swing right there. Keep that up and that chocolate cake devourer will soon be an obesity statistic.
Burn it into your mind that things happen NOW. Right now. The moment you’re sitting in right now. That’s the only place you can change, the only place you can make decisions that build you up rather than tear you down.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Scott,
Great post my friend. Living in the moment is all that we have and it is a gift called the present! I learned this concept a long time ago when I read the book The POWER of NOW and strive to live this way each and every day of my life.
Thanks for the head slap technique. I will definitely use it next time I find myself thinking in this way.
Make it a great day!
God Bless,
-ed
Thanks a ton for stopping by and sharing your wisdom Edward!