Making Progress: Optimism or Delusion? (Part 1 of 2)

A subscriber to my newsletter recently submitted the following question:

... I’ve been consistently positive and optimistic (I’m known in my family as the "Queen of Optimism") about improving my financial situation, but there has been practically no improvement. Do you think it is possible for my optimism to actually be a delusion that I entertain myself with?

This question intrigued me because its essence (knowing whether you are being realistic or overly optimistic about your chances for success) is something that many often question. So, I’ve rephrased the question to this: How do we know when optimism crosses the line and becomes delusion?

Let's first discuss some definitions. Optimism is defined as a disposition to expect the best possible outcome or to emphasize the most positive aspects of a situation. Delusion is defined as a false belief held in spite of invalidating evidence. The belief we’re referring to here is the affirmation or self-talk you use to express your optimism. The evidence is your day-to-day actions. The evidence is "invalidated" by acting in a way that is contrary to your goals. So, in a nutshell, you can know when your optimism has crossed the line into delusion land by closely examining your day-to-day actions.

So, ask yourself these two questions:

(1) Am I consistently doing the things I've determined (from an enlightened analysis of the situation) are necessary to achieve my goals everyday?
... and,
(2) Am I consistently doing the things proven experience suggests I should be doing to achieve my goals everyday?

Take some time to think about and answer these questions. In the second part of this article, I will discuss some productive ways for confirming whether your optimism is justified.

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