Index IntroductionThe Benefits of Optimism for SuccessThe Pitfalls of Toxic OptimismConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionOptimism is the key to success. Optimism is present in almost every TV commercial you come across. Famous and very successful people always talk about how optimism contributed to their success. It is so widespread that many people believe that success is the result of it. The more optimistic you are, the more your mind allows you to be creative. With an optimistic attitude, a person can generate new ideas and create possibilities to move forward faster than normal times. Once we think about how we can make our future ideal, we become more optimistic and positive about our present. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Benefits of Optimism for Success Optimism is a form of positive thinking that includes the belief that you are responsible for your own happiness and that more good than bad things will continue to happen to you. They also believe that bad things are very rare and cannot be avoided. A very optimistic person could be described as someone who thinks about the best outcome every time. A very confident person could also be described as optimistic. Throughout life you will meet two different types of people; those who are optimistic and those who are pessimistic. Pessimistic people are the exact opposite of optimistic people, they believe the worst will happen. A very optimistic person will not give up as easily as someone who is not. There are great benefits to being optimistic. Optimists also tend to experience less stress because they believe in themselves and their abilities to make great things happen for themselves or others. The Pitfalls of Toxic Optimism Toxic optimism develops when we let our emotions manipulate statistics to the point that our desire for something to happen far outweighs the actual outcomes that will occur. This could also be known as wishful thinking. Wishful thinking can be extremely harmful, even toxic. Hope and optimism focus on a positive future. However, while hoping involves having faith that we will achieve positive results, toxic optimism means having them and taking them for granted. Toxic optimism may seem rare but it really isn't. It's one of the main reasons why many entrepreneurs fail in the beginning. The problem is not that their business idea is wrong, but their overly optimistic attitude. Before they come up with a backup plan, they invest all their money in a business that has a chance of failing. Excessive optimism basically allows you to lie to yourself. You will develop selective attention. If one small thing goes wrong, it will most likely be ignored, which can create a big problem over time. Being optimistic is great, but having too much of it can have negative effects. Even though you might be one of the most optimistic people, you still need to work hard to achieve your dreams. Depending on optimism alone won't get you where you want to be. There will still be others who will work harder than you even if you are optimistic. Studies have shown that overly optimistic people may fail to achieve their goals. Optimism alone cannot achieve your goals as you would like. However, to be successful you need to be realistically optimistic. It is necessary to realistically see all the problems that may arise in difficult situations. While optimistic leaders set audacious goals and inspire their teams to achieve monumental success,, 37(3), 239-256.