[SP] Optimism

[Jeffster]

ATTENTION FELLOW SPs.

Yo.

....oh, I'm on? Okay, *ahem*..read this quote from Dr. David W. Keirsey:

"Artisans are the supreme optimists. The past is water under the bridge, so forget it. The distant future is a long way off, so don't waste time planning for it. But the next moment? Here the SPs shine with a natural confidence that things are going to turn their way. SPs feel lucky: the next roll of the dice, the next move, shot or ploy will be a lucky one, never mind that the last few have failed. What comes next is bound to be a break, a windfall, some smile from Lady Luck. And once on a roll or a hot streak, SPs believe their luck will hold, and they will push it to the limit."

Do you feel this is true for you? If so, can you elaborate on your approach to life and how this plays out in what you do. Be as specific as you can.

If you don't think it's accurate about you, then tell me what your basic approach to upcoming events is, and same deal, give me some specifics about how your approach has affected your actions in life.

Thanks in advance.

 

[/DG/]

I'd say that I'm a pessimist, not an optimist. Although, I may just be in an "unhealthy situation" for an ISFP at the moment.

 

[SolitaryPenguin]

Awesome topic Jeff.

My fiance and I were talking about this the other night after watching that new show with Michael J. Fox about optimism (great show by the way).

I am pretty sure that I developed my sense of optimism from my mother, who has constantly been crapped on by life but always managed to come out the other side with a sense of great optimism.

For me, I've run into these same situations a few times in my life, and have always been able to get myself through to the other side. This is true with me in both the huge life problems (i.e. needing quite a bit of reconstructive surgery on my face in my 20s) to the simpler things like struggling to get a bill paid off.

I am pretty sure that when I am doing or about to do/experience something that I don't want to do, or that makes me feel bad, it's the only time that I am ever really conscious about the future, whether that future is 20 minutes away or two weeks away.

One example was when I had to drive a moving truck back from Michigan to New York to get my SO out here. I hate driving trucks, with a passion, they're just too big for me. Add to that the fact that half of the trip was in the middle of an ice storm, and the fact that I was alone since she was driving her car out seperately, and it made for a pretty shitty experience.

The thing that got me through it was actually two fold; I knew it had to be done, and I knew it would be over at some point at which we'd be moved in together and finally happy.

Looking back now, the trip was a blur, but I got through it, and sure enough, there was a rainbow at the other end of it. That's pretty much been my philosophy my entire life. Suck it up, get through it, cause things are going to be a lot better on the other side. If they aren't, then suck it up and get through that too. I tend to think there are more good times in life than there are bad, it just seems that most people only ever pay attention to the bad stuff without focusing on the good.

Sorry for the babble, hopefully there was something remotely related to the OP in there.

 

[King sns]

Realist/optimist.

Whatever happens happens.
I don't feel lucky or unlucky. Just accepting or nonaccepting of situations. I figure if I accept and handle every situation to the best of my ability then there is nothing to fear.
I can't predict the future.

 

[/DG/]

Looking back now, the trip was a blur, but I got through it, and sure enough, there was a rainbow at the other end of it. That's pretty much been my philosophy my entire life. Suck it up, get through it, cause things are going to be a lot better on the other side.

I love your philosophy.

it just seems that most people only ever pay attention to the bad stuff without focusing on the good

Funny, that's the way the news works. =/

 

[SolitaryPenguin]

Funny, that's the way the news works. =/

What is this "news" you speak of?

 

[wolfy]

I guess my approach is a cynical optimism.
Interesting topic and I'm sure something will pop into my head later.

 

[Jeffster]

I'd say that I'm a pessimist, not an optimist. Although, I may just be in an "unhealthy situation" for an ISFP at the moment.

Can you elaborate please?

 

[Quinlan]

I think the reason why we sometimes might feel lucky is because we are lucky.

Now I don't actually believe in luck, but there is being aware of and more open to opportunities in the immediate environment, and we are very good at that. So we feel "lucky" and the luckier we feel the more open and aware we become of further opportunities.

I saw this show on TV and they were showing how people who think of themselves as "lucky" are more likely to see money lying in a gutter than other people. They are just more open to seeing positive things and of course that is a reinforcing cycle...

 

[/DG/]

What is this "news" you speak of?

Sorry, I meant the media. i.e. News on TV, in the newspapers, etc.

Can you elaborate please?

I don't know. I'm not very good at explaining things. =P I guess I mean that I'm not really that happy in life. I'm pretty happy, but I'm sort of lonely and not so good at making friends. That's why I lurk on the internet.

 

[riel]

ATTENTION FELLOW SPs.


"Artisans are the supreme optimists. The past is water under the bridge, so forget it. The distant future is a long way off, so don't waste time planning for it. But the next moment? Here the SPs shine with a natural confidence that things are going to turn their way. SPs feel lucky: the next roll of the dice, the next move, shot or ploy will be a lucky one, never mind that the last few have failed. What comes next is bound to be a break, a windfall, some smile from Lady Luck. And once on a roll or a hot streak, SPs believe their luck will hold, and they will push it to the limit."

Do you feel this is true for you? If so, can you elaborate on your approach to life and how this plays out in what you do. Be as specific as you can.

If you don't think it's accurate about you, then tell me what your basic approach to upcoming events is, and same deal, give me some specifics about how your approach has affected your actions in life.

I proclaim myself as an optimist. Why? Even though I got a low score in a quiz because of my being a procrastinator(to beautifully put:living in the moment), I always tell myself that there's still going to be another quiz that I can possibly get a high score on and that will pull my grades up.

 

[Jeffster]

Awesome topic Jeff.

Thanks.

NEED MORE REPLIES

 

[wolfy]

I'm optimistic I'll post tomorrow.

 

[wolfy]

"Artisans are the supreme optimists. The past is water under the bridge, so forget it. The distant future is a long way off, so don't waste time planning for it. But the next moment? Here the SPs shine with a natural confidence that things are going to turn their way. SPs feel lucky: the next roll of the dice, the next move, shot or ploy will be a lucky one, never mind that the last few have failed. What comes next is bound to be a break, a windfall, some smile from Lady Luck. And once on a roll or a hot streak, SPs believe their luck will hold, and they will push it to the limit."

Do you feel this is true for you? If so, can you elaborate on your approach to life and how this plays out in what you do. Be as specific as you can.

If you don't think it's accurate about you, then tell me what your basic approach to upcoming events is, and same deal, give me some specifics about how your approach has affected your actions in life.

Screw it. I'll do it now.

I don't think I'm optimistic like that. It sounds naive to me. It's that wording, I'm not a gambling man by nature. I will push it to the limit in an area where I have skill but I don't have much faith in chance.

My basic approach to upcoming events?
It depends on the context. Generally, learn all I can about the context and take a real tactical approach.

Here is an example. I just got a new job working in a gym here in Japan. Part of the job is working on the phone and on the front counter.
My Japanese is good but I have no experience in that part of the gym so this is how I approached it...

I studied my ass off, I took copious notes and worked through different scenarios in my head. I practised different ways people could ring, emergency stuff and so forth. Then I got to a point where I left all my notes and study behind. That's how I've approached all my jobs.
That's how I approach all new stuff.

I kind of went off on a tangent, sorry about that. I suppose what I'm trying to say I believe we make our own luck.

I'm tired, ask if this doesn't make sense.

 

["?"]

I'd say that I'm a pessimist, not an optimist. Although, I may just be in an "unhealthy situation" for an ISFP at the moment.

Keirsey does not say that SPs are pessimist, but does say that they are cynical about the past. He also says that where SJs and NTs focus on structure, SPs and NFs focus on motives. The difference is SP types initially question others motives and NF types believe the other person is sincere. So being pessimistic may be relative here, if you know what is causing it. My NF mom always called me pessimistic when I was younger and before I knew type existed. I always considered myself realistic.

 

[Colors]

ATTENTION FELLOW SPs.

Yo.

....oh, I'm on? Okay, *ahem*..read this quote from Dr. David W. Keirsey:

"Artisans are the supreme optimists. The past is water under the bridge, so forget it. The distant future is a long way off, so don't waste time planning for it. But the next moment? Here the SPs shine with a natural confidence that things are going to turn their way. SPs feel lucky: the next roll of the dice, the next move, shot or ploy will be a lucky one, never mind that the last few have failed. What comes next is bound to be a break, a windfall, some smile from Lady Luck. And once on a roll or a hot streak, SPs believe their luck will hold, and they will push it to the limit."

Do you feel this is true for you? If so, can you elaborate on your approach to life and how this plays out in what you do. Be as specific as you can.

If you don't think it's accurate about you, then tell me what your basic approach to upcoming events is, and same deal, give me some specifics about how your approach has affected your actions in life.

Thanks in advance.

If that's how we're defining optimism, I am definitely not an optimist. (And who thinks NFs are optimists? Ha!) It's interesting how many people claim to be "realists" (but I think that speaks more about their attitude about the present rather than the future). I used to claim to be a realist too.

I'm more of perky cynic. I don't believe in luck. I do believe that attitude can be a factor in what we make of how things turn out (if not directly). Hence despite my personal feelings how how something might probably turn out, I would much rather create a positive environment around myself (which admitted, is not usually optimism).

 

[Jeffster]

I'm more of perky cynic. I don't believe in luck. I do believe that attitude can be a factor in what we make of how things turn out (if not directly). Hence despite my personal feelings how how something might probably turn out, I would much rather create a positive environment around myself (which admitted, is not usually optimism).

So, what about roulette wheels? You think they are all fixed? I mean, what do you mean you "don't believe in luck"?

 

[wolfy]

So, what about roulette wheels? You think they are all fixed? I mean, what do you mean you "don't believe in luck"?

I don't believe in luck either. Probability, I do believe in. There is a probability something will happen but it sits outside of yourself.
Keeping optimistic is good because it keeps you alert for opportunities.

But the way the paragraph is worded, it makes it seem that SP trust in random chance. They believe that they are lucky. I believe we align ourselves with luck using skill and knowledge.

 

[wolfy]

I think Lucky Man by Michael J Fox is a good case example for SP optimism.

 

[Colors]

Basically what wolfy said. I don't believe in luck: the magical quality that creates a greater likelihood that will go my way. Probability exists on the roulette wheel, but I don't think there is a quantity called "luck" that I can posess or lose, or that can "bless" me.