The Surprising Link Between Positive Thinking and Intelligence: What You Need to Know

Two studies published last year cast some doubt on the power of positive thinking and avoiding negative emotions, as it may be linked to lower intelligence.

And in an article on the website Psychology today “This surprised me,” said Dr. Nick Morgan, as the world of business and consulting is a world that thrives on optimism and positive self-talk, “You can do it!” “I can do it in time!”

A bit of pessimism

So what’s wrong with hope? Found The first study Published in 2023 in the journal “Personality and Social Psychology” (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin), a touch of pessimism is considered a sign of high IQ, and that this attitude is more reasonable when it comes to financial matters and the possibilities. success in starting a new business project.

As Dr. Chris Dawson, lead author of the study, said, “Lower cognitive ability leads to more subjective bias, where people are basically deceiving themselves. “

“This study came as a slap in the face for us to be optimistic about,” said Morgan, as Dawson continues to focus directly on small business startups, as he said in the study, ” The chances of starting a successful business are slim, but always optimistic. Believe that they have a chance and they will definitely start a business.” “She’s going to fail.”

Morgan said it was hope that led him to start his project 27 years ago, a business that is still thriving today, and it was anxiety that kept him going to this day. , because anxiety doesn’t go away. Morgan emphasized that a little realism or even pessimism must be added to stay on track and succeed.

Responding to negative emotions

Otherwise The second study Published in 2023 in Emotion, it focused on how we deal with negative emotions. She found that if we believe our negative emotional responses are wrong or inappropriate, we are more likely to develop anxiety and depression. On the other hand, if we accept negative emotions as a normal part of our lives, we are more likely to experience the beneficial aspects of those emotions.

“Anger can be helpful when we experience injustice, anxiety can alert us to challenges in the environment that we have to deal with, and fear can tell us to be careful about the dangers around us ,” Morgan said.

According to Morgan, these studies together help us understand that while hope may be necessary to get things started, a healthy dose of realism may be just the ticket to keep us from anticipating and accepting the frustrations that naturally come with the ebb and flow. in our negative emotions, and this will help us lead a smoother working life.

Feelings are signs, clues that something is wrong – or right – right now, and it’s good to pay attention to them without judgment.