Unit: 3.

1 Optimism c1

INTRODUCTION The Twins

There is a story of identical twins. One was a hope-filled optimist. "Everything is coming up roses!" he would say. He thought that Murphy, as in Murphy's Law, was an optimist. The other twin was a sad and hopeless pessimist. The worried parents of the boys brought them to the local psychologist. He suggested to the parents a plan to balance the twins" personalities. "On their next birthday, put them in separate rooms to open their gifts. Give the pessimist the best toys you can afford, and give the optimist a box of manure." The parents followed these instructions and carefully observed the results. When they peeked in on the pessimist, they heard him audibly complaining, "I don't like the color of this computer. I'll bet this calculator will break . . . I don't like the game . . . I know someone who's got a bigger toy car than this . . ." Tiptoeing across the corridor, the parents peeked in and saw their little optimist gleefully throwing the manure up in the air. He was giggling. "You can't fool me! Where there's this much manure, there's gotta be a pony!" Task What sort of a person are you? The optimistic twins who always think positive? The pessimist twins who always complaining?

Discuss in group the characteristics of an optimistic person.

Unit: 3.1 Optimism

Are you an Eeyore or a Tigger?

A.A Milnes characters in Winnie-the-Pooh have brought decades of enjoyment to the young and the old. As well as the portly Pooh Bear, there is a collection of other animal characters, including the pessimistic donkey, Eeyore and irrepressible and hugely enthusiastic tiger called Tigger. There are people we meet in life who are Tiggers, optimistic, full of bounce and energy. The glass is always half-full rather than half-empty. They can exhaust people, but they can also energize them and cause them to be positive. Then there are those like Eeyore for whom it is always raining or about to rain, provided, of course, the sky doesnt fall in first. These people can also be exhausting, but it is exhaustion caused by being drained, sucked dry of hope and vitality.

There are two types of people you meet: those who give you energy, and those who take your energy.

Name three of your friends that can be associated with Tiggers exuberance. a) b) c)

Name three of your friends that can be associated with Eeyores exhaustion. a) b) c)

Point to ponder?
What sort of a person are you? Are you the sort of person who adds to the pleasure of a group? Are you sort of person who takes from the pleasure of a group? 2

Unit: 3.1 Optimism

Lessons from an Oyster We need to pay more attention to the mind and to remain as positive as we can without losing contact with reality.
There once was an oyster Whose story I tell, Who found that some sand Had got into his shell. It was only a grain, but it gave him great pain. For oysters have feelings although they're so plain. Now, did he berate the harsh workings of fate That had brought him To such a deplorable state? Did he curse at the government, Cry for election, And claim that the sea should Have given him protection? 'No,' he said to himself As he lay on a shell, Since I cannot remove it, I shall try to improve it. Now the years have rolled around, As the years always do, And he came to his ultimate Destiny stew. And the small grain of sand That had bothered him so Was a beautiful pearl All richly aglow. A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty
Winston Churchill

You must be the change you want to see in the world

Mahatma Gandhi

Is your glass usually half-full or half empty?

Now the tale has a moral, for isn't it grand What an oyster can do With a morsel of sand? What couldn't we do If we'd only begin With some of the things That get under our skin.

Unit: 3.1 Optimism

ADRIFT
In 1982 Steven Callahan was crossing the Atlantic alone in his sailboat when it struck something and sank. He was out of the shipping lanes and floating in a life raft, alone. His supplies were few. His chances were small. Yet when three fishermen found him seventy-six days later (the longest anyone has survived a shipwreck on a life raft alone), he was alive -- much skinnier than he was when he started, but alive. His account of how he survived is fascinating. His ingenuity -- how he managed to catch fish, how he fixed his solar still (evaporates sea water to make fresh) -- is very interesting. But the thing that caught my eye was how he managed to keep himself going when all hope seemed lost, when there seemed no point in continuing the struggle, when he was suffering greatly, when his life raft was punctured and after more than a week struggling with his weak body to fix it, it was still leaking air and wearing him out to keep pumping it up. He was starved. He was desperately dehydrated. He was thoroughly exhausted. Giving up would have seemed the only sane option. When people survive these kinds of circumstances, they do something with their minds that gives them the courage to keep going. Many people in similarly desperate circumstances give in or go mad. Something the survivors do with their thoughts helps them find the guts to carry on in spite of overwhelming odds. "I tell myself I can handle it," wrote Callahan in his narrative. "Compared to what others have been through, I'm fortunate. I tell myself these things over and over, building up fortitude...." I wrote that down after I read it. It struck me as something important. And I've told myself the same thing when my own goals seemed far off or when my problems seemed too overwhelming. And every time I've said it, I have always come back to my senses. The truth is, our circumstances are only bad compared to something better. But others have been through much worse. I've read enough history to know you and I are lucky to be where we are, when we are, no matter how bad it seems to us compared to our fantasies. It's a sane thought and worth thinking. So here, coming to us from the extreme edge of survival, are words that can give us strength. Whatever you're going through, tell yourself you can handle it. Compared to what others have been through, you're fortunate. Tell this to yourself over and over, and it will help you get through the rough spots with a little more fortitude. Task How Steven Callahan managed to keep his mind positive during difficult circumstances?

Unit: 3.1 Optimism

Fun Brain Teasers Words to Find

celebration decorations lights mistletoe family dinner fruitcake Christmas play gifts giving excitement children vacation cedar trees
M Z J N E R D L I H C T G M D S N G E F S C N U S K Z W U D A N O N O R T C O A T B U G I M C S I I T U H J I O F Y R N T B V E T V E I G U T D I N N S E I M E A I L T I E A B G E I G X P S R R G T C L H C Y R R Y P C Z G T B O S A B S A M H B D H I C X R E O I K Z B V C Z L F F T A G A L J M E F R K G H Y B T E C S D E K X A W M W Q F I O P M B V E C R M T I R S O W U L T E Y N C L I W X Z N J E S A L C N X P R L S V S K L Y D Y Y U G T I A Y G

Task Discuss in a pair, five activities that can promote healthy mind. a)__________________________________ b)__________________________________ c)__________________________________ d)__________________________________ e)__________________________________ Riddle Steady and straight we do go, Not too fast and not too slow, On black dust we do roll, Tremendous weight we can pull, We are many but still one, What are we? 5

Unit: 3.1 Optimism

How to Manage Your Weakness and Spotlight Your Strengths

Do you remember in Science class when you learned Isaac Newtons third law of motion? For every action, there is an equal but opposite, reaction! Newton was a genius. Not only did he find law of motion, he discovered one of the best personal development theories. For every strength, there is an equal, but opposite, weakness But how can you use this to improve your personal development? How can you use this to develop your professional strength as a student?

Being told your strengths: A valuable way to reinforce a positive frame of mind is to be reminded by your peers of your strengths.
Task: Group activity In group of 4-6, take it in turns to talk about each member of the group. Two comments about the person are required from each member. What I most appreciate about you is. What I think you are particularly gifted at is.

Spirituality Integrity

Creativity

Persistence Kindness

Curiosity

Unit: 3.1 Optimism Being a Tigger is good if it means being optimistic, energetic and engaging. These are desirable traits in a leader. If being a Tigger involves a self-centeredness, brashness and high-volume dominance, then such a person may be rejected as a leader. Being an Eeyore is bad if it means there is a tendency to be negative. The mean-spirited, cynical and doubting person is going to be rejected as a leader, irrespective of how clever or politically powerful they are. Having noted this, the quieter person, the person who weighs their comments carefully, who is skilled at encouraging others to talk, who engages in active listening, can be very effective as a leader. Task What does active listening mean?

Synergy
Some people add to the synergy of a group, others take it away. Synergy may be described as the collective energy of a group. Those who add to the synergy of a group, often more effective as leaders. However, there are other social characteristics appreciated by followers. The loud and talkative person who is heavily opinionated and domineering may irritate to the extent people do not want to be led by such a person. The quieter person who speaks with tact and integrity, on the other hand, can be greatly appreciated and may emerge as the real leader of the group. Good leaders are sensitive enough to know what group wants. It may be a word of encouragement, or a touch of humour to lighten the mood, or a realisation that the salt needs to be passed to the other end of the table or that the hostess needs to be reassured that the meal was delicious. Your Way CREATE Your Way

Task What does synergy mean to you?

FINAL SOLUTION

Unit: 3.1 Optimism

Franklin Covey:

Synergy is achieved when two or more people work together to create something better than either could alone. Through this habit, teens learn it doesnt have to be your way or my way but rather a better way, a higher way. Synergy allows to value differences and better appreciate other.

Paradigm shift Ineffective Effective : Its either your way or my way or a compromise. : Together we can create a better way, a higher way.

Task: Case Study

The Barking Dog

At 7 a.m. on Saturday you are awakened by the phone ringing. Its your neighbor who, rather gruffly, tells you that your barking Cocker Spaniel kept him awake for several hours last night. He suggests you put the dog to sleep. You are taken aback by his comment and feel defensive. But then you remember synergy paradigm. Rationally, you suggest there is probably an alternative that could satisfy both you and your neighbor, and you ask him for suggestions. Together, you resolved your differences with alternative solutions. Your viewpoint

Neighbors viewpoint

Final solution

Unit: 3.1 Optimism

When presented with a problem, use these ten easy steps for problem solving.
The following advice is given to those who find themselves having their optimism weakened because of having to confront a problem. 1. Watch your body language- no sighs, no slumped shoulders. Maintain a good posture. 2. Watch your language- word spoken often reflect your state of mind. Avoid using phraseswe cant do this. 3. Define and clarify the main issues. Is the matter urgent, important or both. 4. Gather all the facts and understand the causes. 5. Use the brainstorming techniques- individually or with a team. 6. Divide the big problem into series of smaller ones and tackle one problem at a time. 7. Consider and compare the pros and cons of each option. 8. Select the best option-avoid vagueness or foot in both camps compromise. Be clear of your option! 9. Explain your decision to those involved and affected by the decision. 10. Task What other advice could you give relating to handling a problem in a positive manner? Follow up to ensure proper and effective implementation.

It's not that I'm so smart; it's just that I stay with problems longer

(Albert

Einstein)

Unit: 3.1 Optimism

Conclusion
Optimism is important in the life of a leader. An optimistic person is generally an attractive person, someone who is able to draw others around them because of the encouragement they give. In a world characterised by a great deal of insecurity, fear and uncertainty, an optimistic person can be a particular encouragement. This is not to say that there should be a denial of lifes problems or a perpetual mental residence in some fictitious happy land. It is to say a leader has a positive frame of mind and accepts there are problems but works to solve them. A person falling from a multi-storey building was heard to say as they passed each floor, so far so good. This unrealistic optimism is not what is being encouraged. What is being suggested is that people generally follow a leader because they believe a leader can make their life better. If a person signals that they cannot make their followers lives better, then they may cease to be an effective leader. ****************************************************************** NOTES AND INSIGHTS

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