A while back, I posted this lighthearted question on Facebook after what I imagined would be a 15-minute errand turned into an hour and a half journey through a maze of tempting detours and hundreds of unhurried weekend shoppers:
“Why did I think I could ‘run into Ikea right quick’ on a Saturday morning?”
A friend of mine from grad school who studied applied positive psychology with me at the University of Pennsylvania replied with a one-sentence comment that explained my recurring problem of underestimating how much time I need to get anything done:
“Because you are an optimist.”
I stared at the screen in astonishment. Scott’s five-word observation was a light bulb moment for me. As ridiculous as it sounds, I believed that I could run into a 360,000 square foot store, quickly locate the item I needed and breeze through the checkout line in 15 minutes flat. One of my greatest strengths – optimism – was a weakness when it came to estimating time. And I knew it wasn’t just this one instance.
Suddenly, I had flashbacks to all those times I was late, but deep down, believed I had enough time to be early. I thought of all the times I set 15 goals at the beginning of the year, and honestly thought if I just worked diligently enough, they’d all get done by March. Even when I started my business 15 years ago, I wrote a plan that had my calendar booked solid with speaking engagements within six months. Needless to say, it was about seven years before I was booked the way I had predicted.
The beginning of the year is an exciting time for optimists. Talk of goals and vision and a fresh start inspire you if you’re an optimist. Optimists are great goal setters. We are often called “visionaries” for our ability to see great possibilities for the future. Research shows that optimism, in fact, is a predictor of success. It makes sense. When you believe in the possibility of something better, you are more likely to move towards it than the person who pessimistically laments about impending doom. Without optimism, there is no hope. Without hope, there is no dreaming, no goal setting, no starting place for your vision.
This week, I invite you to embrace what I call “realistic optimism” as you move towards your goals. The most successful people have an optimistic thinking style that believes strongly in big dreams, but uses a healthy dose of pessimism when planning for the inevitable obstacles on the journey to the finish line. They don’t wear rose-colored glasses. They see the potential obstacles and pitfalls, but they are optimistic about their ability to find a solution to overcome those obstacles.
So set the inspiring goal, but make sure you create a timeline that allows you breathing space for obstacles and for excellence. After all, what’s the point of rushing to the finish line? Give yourself time to enjoy the process, to learn, to grow, to be your best. Let optimism guide your choice of goal, but let caution create your timeline.
