Learned Optimism  (English, Paperback, Seligman Martin E.P.)

Learned Optimism: How To Change Your Mind And Your Life focuses on the importance of optimism for a healthy lifestyle.

Summary Of The Book

The author, through his book, Learned Optimism: How To Change Your Mind And Your Life, focuses on how optimism is crucial in enhancing the quality of one’s life and how it can be learnt and practised in a person’s life.

The author offers various simplistic approaches to give up the habit of giving up and to develop constructive explanations for positive behavior. The author reinstates the belief that it is possible to establish a positive and better dialogue with oneself and enumerates the benefits of the same. Some benefits are low levels of depression, a better immune system, a happier self and improved potential. The author not only explains how an optimistic behavior of the self can be established, but also how a more positive atmosphere at work, in schools and among children can be encouraged. According to the author, once one practices and adopts optimism, it is immensely valuable at every stage of one’s life.

Even though at some point, the author admits that pessimism has its benefits, he emphasizes that the misfortunes we face are mostly our fault and has the capacity to test our endurance and to undermine our acts. He says that the more we are inclined to believe against misfortunes, the less will it affect us. He also says that while life starts with complete helplessness as a baby, it is possible to acquire personal control through persistence.

Learned Optimism: How To Change Your Mind And Your Life was first published in 1991.

About Martin E. P. Seligman

Martin E. P. Seligman is an author and psychologist. Other books by the author include The Optimistic Child: Proven Program To Safeguard Children From Depression & Build Lifelong Resilience, Authentic Happiness, Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being, Character Strength And Virtues and Optimistic Child.

Born in New York, Seligman completed his graduation from Princeton University in the year 1964 and later his doctorate in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1967. The author is a professor of Psychology in the University Of Pennsylvania. He has also been the President of the American Psychological Association in the past. The author is also a motivational expert and an expert on how to combat helplessness and depression. He has conducted several research projects sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute on Aging, the Guggenheim Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation.