Why Being a Realist Rather Than an Optimist Can Be A Key To Well-Being

Do you always look at the glass as half-full? Or do you prepare for the worst, just in case? Optimists glow with positivity, while pessimists swear by the safety of their low expectations. Yet, a recent study reveals that the realists might have the last laugh.

“Being realistic about your life outcomes is likely to make you happier than overestimating them,” explains a Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin study. Researchers David de Meza from the London School of Economics and Chris Dawson from the University of Bath dove deep into a survey of 1,601 individuals spanning 18 years. They unearthed insights on health, finances, lifestyle, and more.

Now, you might ask, what exactly is “unrealistic optimism?” It’s not just hoping for the best. It’s a belief so firm in good outcomes that it can skew your judgment. To gauge this, participants were asked about their financial predictions for the year ahead and how they compared to the past year. The results? Expectations often clash with reality.

Linking this optimism to well-being, the researchers found a curious pattern. Realists with grounded expectations reported better psychological health than extreme optimists or pessimists. Pessimists showed 37.2% more psychological distress than realists, and even optimists weren’t…