Whether or not we have hope depends on two dimensions of our explanatory style; pervasiveness and permanence. Finding temporary and specific causes for misfortune is the art of hope: Temporary causes limit helplessness in time, and specific causes limit helplessness to the original situation. On the other hand, permanent causes produce helplessness far into the future, and universal causes spread helplessness through all your endeavors. Finding permanent and universal causes for misfortune is the practice of despair... The optimistic style of explaining good events is the opposite of that used for bad events: It's internal rather than external. People who believe they cause good things tend to like themselves better than people who believe good things come from other people or circumstances.

~ Martin Seligman Quotes from Learned Optimism; p. 48-50

Famous Quotes on: Learn, Future, Martin Seligman, Learned Optimism, Permanence, Act, Better, Good, Bad, Practice, Despair, Believe, People, Optimist

print send

I believe that traditional wisdom is incomplete. A composer can have all the talent of Mozart and a passionate desire to succeed, but if he believes he cannot compose music, he will come to nothing. He will not try hard enough. He will give up too soon when the elusive right melody takes too long to materialize.

~ Martin Seligman Quotes from Learned Optimism

Inspirational Quotes on: Wisdom, Desire, Learn, Mozart, Martin Seligman, Learned Optimism, Passion, Music, Give, Try, Talent, Believe

print send

Success requires persistence, the ability to not give up in the face of failure. I believe that optimistic explanatory style is the key to persistence.

~ Martin Seligman Quotes from Learned Optimism

Motivational Quotes on: Success, Failure, Learn, Martin Seligman, Learned Optimism, Fail, Persist, Persistence, Give, Believe, Optimist

print send