04/11/2026
Do you look for solutions to problems, or problems with solutions?
There’s a difference between being a critical thinker and a chronic critic. Between approaching challenges and avoiding them.
One challenges ideas to find a way forward. The other finds reasons why nothing will work.
Same problem. Different mindset. Very different outcomes.
And here’s the good news: whatever your starting point, optimism is a skill you can learn, practice, and make a habit.
My mentor, psychologist Martin Seligman, pioneered the concept of learned optimism, demonstrating that we can change how we interpret setbacks and adversity.
Optimism isn’t about believing everything will work out. It’s about learning to challenge unhelpful thinking, recognise possibilities, and approach difficulties with a more constructive mindset.
You may not always be able to change your circumstances, but you can change how you think about them.
