Chasing The Bright Side: Why Optimism is The Secret Ingredient to Success

When we look at someone successful, we often skip right to where this person posts on his or her profile: job title, accolades, financial status, fancy degree, and how many times they’ve appeared on the Today Show.

So when we look at that list, it makes us feel like we have to check those boxes in order to be successful, which can be daunting and seem impossible. However, when we hear the real stories of the initial spark of an idea from a basement or a dorm room and how it was built, we realize that every expert we know was once a beginner. We always see the Chapter 7, 8 and 9 or even their next book, but rarely Chapter 1.

Chapter 1 in anyone’s success story had to start with one thing: optimism. Anyone who’s ever done something great, created something new, shattered tradition or changed patterns had to start with the mindset that they could make it better. Optimism is the rooted belief that there’s something good on the other side. In fact, studies show that optimism can be linked to a longer life span and triggers positive cognitive responses associated with greater flexibility, innovation and problem solving.

Jess encourages her audience to use optimism as a tool to not just envision the good, but create it. When we think optimistically in our careers and in our lives, we’ll feel more confident, creative and empowered to go for it. And forward mobility is contingent upon our optimistic mindset coupled with the willingness to go for it.

By using her story of creating a million dollar company from her dorm room, Jess talks about the three essential tools to practicing optimism: confidence mindset, failure management, and purpose activation.