False optimism: what is it and what are its negative effects?

About those people who go around jumping for joy and wearing a canned smile?

No one can doubt that optimism is an attitude that can take us very far in life and can help us to be happy.. Optimism is a virtue, as long as the optimistic person has a high self-confidence and is realistic about the environment around him.

Otherwise we would be talking about false optimism. And as Abraham Maslow, one of the greatest exponents of the humanist trend, said, "False optimism, sooner or later, means disillusionment, anger and despair".

In this article we will talk about false optimism and delve into this concept and its characteristics.

What is false optimism?

When we adopt a positive and optimistic mindset the world seems to turn in the direction we want it to. But for optimism to be authentic it must be in tune with our self-esteem, because with low self-esteem, optimism simply masks our weakness.

Feeling good about ourselves is fundamental for us and for relating to the environment around us. A high self-esteem makes us much more positive people, aware of our virtues and weaknesses and that, after accepting ourselves as we are, we can look forward without fear. High self-esteem allows us to adapt to the environment around us with a smile, even if not everything goes well. The authentic optimist learns from mistakes, because his worldview allows him to accept defeats and understand that we are not perfect.

However, optimism has become fashionable and some people want to pretend to be optimistic when their inner world is broken. They do not have a good connection with themselves, but they cover themselves with the armor of optimism. False optimism feeds the unwillingness to face reality in order to avoid problems.It becomes a double-edged sword that sooner or later ends up damaging. In short, it hides a denial of Pain and suffering.

Characteristics of the false optimist

People with false optimism depend excessively on external approval and use optimism to avoid having to reflect and face their fears. But what characterizes this type of individual? what characterizes this type of individual? People with false optimism have the following traits and attitudes:

1. They are unrealistic

This type of individual is unrealistic and uses optimism to escape frustration and the fact of having to face an unpleasant reality. To grow as human beings we must face our fears and be tolerant to frustration, otherwise, we do not benefit from life experiences that make us suffer, which in the long run are the ones that allow us to develop a strong personality and prepared for the situations we like the least.

It is impossible to live happily 24 hours a day, so we must accept it.We must accept it. In addition, false optimists do not usually achieve the goals they set for themselves, because they are not realistic and false optimism ends up frustrating them.

2. They are not sincere with themselves

This type of individuals are not sincere with themselves, and that is why this phenomenon is called false optimism. This self-deception tends to be frequent when someone does not want to accept the reality that surrounds him or her, and is an attempt to reduce anxiety.It is an attempt to reduce the anxiety and discomfort they feel.

• This is called cognitive dissonance. We explain it in our article: "Cognitive dissonance: the theory that explains self-deception".

3. They value themselves negatively

As I mentioned in previous lines, this type of person does not value themselves positively, i.e. they have a low self-esteem.. In this context, false optimism acts as a form of protection, since the person does not have sufficient mental strength to resolve both internal and external conflicts.

4. They do not live in the present

Many studies have shown that people who practice Mindfulness enjoy greater well-being. This happens because they live in the present moment and have a non-judgmental attitude. People with false optimism live with irrational expectations, far from a "mindful" mentality..

• You can learn more about the benefits of living in the present in our article: "How to live in the present moment, in 7 psychological keys".

5. They are not self-motivated

False optimism may seem like a good motivational tool, but it is not because expectations and goals are irrational. Applying false optimism to achieve goals can have negative consequences. Therefore, it is always important that the goals we set are achievable, realistic, clear and measurable, as we explain in our article: "The importance of setting goals in Sports Psychology".

6. They have not found inner peace

When a person has not found inner peace it is easy for them to be influenced by the outside world and their happiness depends on this. They are people who compare themselves with others and are continually concerned about what others think of them.. False optimism is characteristic of those subjects who are not really aware of their emotions, virtues and limitations. People who do not accept themselves as they are.

The trap of false optimism

Believing that one is optimistic when one is not, is a serious mistake, because this causes people not to go into their inner world and this "prevents them from connecting with their inner world", as psychologist Juan Cruz states in an interview to the newspaper El Mundo. Optimism is a trap that does not allow self-reflection, which has many benefits for personal development as we commented in our article: "Personal Development: 5 reasons for self-reflection".

The trap of false optimism is just as bad as pessimismbecause it prevents people from learning from their experiences, something that is undoubtedly key to growth and development.