Do Optimism, Pessimism and Realism Really Make a Difference?

Perspective

We all look at situations differently. In life, you may have come across some happy-go-lucky individuals who are painfully optimistic, looking at the world through their rose-colored glasses and then there are those who tend to look at the negative aspect of things. But here’s the question — are people always so black and white?

Life is not black and white — it is more shades of gray. The debate of whether the glass is half full or half empty goes a deeper than sorting people into two groups — optimists and pessimists, because human behavior is complex. In between the 2 ends of the outlook spectrum, there are realists who share similar, yet very different personality traits. In this article, what I hope to accomplish is to be able to define and clear any preconceived notions one may have by presenting these personality types.

Are Pessimists Always All Gloom And Doom?

Generally, a pessimist is seen as a negative person who always fears the worst, but that’s not entirely true. People generally confuse pessimism with fatalism. By default, an individual who is usually skeptical and doubting is a pessimist — someone who needs proof to decide whether they’re on board or not.