The great mountain to conquer
This is part two of the outdoor mountain hiking trail adventure series. Here I discuss how realistic optimism helped in my functioning on the trip, and may as well have helped all of us on the adventure. I added the adjective “realistic” because there is a popular assumption that optimism comes from a naive sense of ignoring problems and being blissful while things around start to deteriorate. While that type of optimism ignores reality, what I will be discussing here takes into account the positive and negative variables that are present.
The Trip Starts
Near the beginning
Although we had started the trip late, mostly due to my lack of punctuality, we were well on our way after an hour or so. At times of slowdown, we kept our sights on the peak of the mountain, which looked manageable to reach by late afternoon. At points where we had expended a bit of energy, and where many probably go back down, we had a solid focus and the intention to reach the top, although getting to the top would be a challenge(again, due to my lack of punctuality starting us off late).
A Problem Is In Place
About 75% of the way, we saw that getting to the top of the mountain would be difficult because it would start to get dark within an hour, and we still had two hours or more to go back down. As somewhat of a hopeful challenge, we split up, with two of us setting a mission to quickly go to the top and come back to meet the other two. After about 40 minutes of this quick rush to near the top, when we were about 90% of the way there, we realized that it was a terrible idea to keep going with it starting to get dark within 20 minutes. We turned back around to rush back to where the other two of our group were waiting for us.
Optimism Kicks In As A Success Mindset
A view of the distance
Here is where realistic optimism kicked back into play, because we as a pair did have a flashlight. At the same time, it is a big deal to go down the mountain with some sunlight, because it is difficult to tell if you are going back down the trail you came up, or if it is a dead end of some sort. This is a disturbing thought when you are multiple hours up a mountain, and there is about 20 minutes of daylight left. We kept a positive attitude, and didn’t complain or get angry about the situation, because the new goal was to make it back down safely.
The two pairs in our group were split up, but we knew the other pair was about 30 minutes to an hour ahead of us in going down the mountain. We kept a good pace and were able to stay on the trail we came up, and then again it was disturbing calling out to the other pair and hearing nothing in the mountain darkness.
Unexpected Predicaments Are Made Easier To Handle
About halfway down the mountain, with no sunlight available, but with the moon providing a bit of light, we heard our friend yelling and headed down about five minutes where we got to where he was, and he had hurt his leg in a fall. Realistic optimism was in place here as we once again were a group of people who were pro-active, and don’t have regularly complaining as part of our habits. We used teamwork to slowly, but surely, help our friend down the entire mountain, ending up at the bottom around 9 or 10 PM.
The dark trip down
Realistic Optimism Is Attractive
This realistic optimism, although maybe more exaggerated in me and my actions, was present in our whole group, and is highly appreciated by me, because I know of many folks who I would not want to have had on the same trip, as there would have been loads of negativity and desperation in their words and actions. There is no need to ignore reality when having a positive outlook, and that same outlook serves to improve actions and results in that reality.
Anyone Can Improve Their Realistic Optimism
As you are able to see here, we were already a group that regularly practice realistic optimism, or healthy pro-activity, or whatever it might be called, but that is no reason someone who doesn’t can’t work to do the same. Even the most negative people are people who want to succeed, so the key is to give negative folks the understanding that responding more optimistically(and pro-actively) is a better way to get closer to that success in a shorter period. There’s no room for talking negatively during a mountain trip situation, and the same applies in regular conversations(or should apply).
It almost looks like snow on the mountain
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Negative remarks/people can place a mental burden on the group, it makes it more difficult for everyone to reach their goal. I’m not sure if negative individuals actually realize their effect on the group or get too caught up in their own thoughts?
Hey there Jeanette.
I sometimes wonder about that. I have asked some of the sources of negativity but they just tell me they are being realistic. I can be realistic too and say that everyone is aging and has much to be disappointed for but that doesn’t get us anywhere. I have a tough time when I’m around glass half-empty folks. The simplest things can become a struggle.
The World and its people are not perfect. So One must learn to live amongst every type of person and their attitudes. Can’t just ignore something and push it to the side. Must learn to try to meet in the middle.
I sincerely apologize to all the negative people that may have been offended with my comment.
Dilancer: That is true. At the same time, I could go out and be negative, hoping to use the energy of others, but that isn’t a successful trait. Anyone could be much more negative in public than they currently are.
On that note about not being able to ignore something, that is true, and at the same time, it doesn’t make sense to get brought down by the same person or people repeatedly.
Jeanette: I hear your apology there, and at the same time, hope negative or pessimistic folks are offended, or at least see the other side of the table.
Good stuff. I know the importance of optimism in a group. People often don’t realize how much their pessimism brings the whole energy of a group down.
Srinivas: Thanks there. This is true. I have known individuals who didn’t realize that their lack of positivity was having an effect on others in the group, and it is somewhat puzzling. Over time you tend to filter out those that are a poor match for your personality type, though.
Hello Armen,
How are you?
I’m going to deviate slightly from the post. I have just finished studying a martin selligmans article on optimism, did his personality test and came out as being a moderately optimistic person(this is what you refer to as realistic optimism).
Now while i dont hold on tightly to all these psychometric tests, it’s important to create a balance when one is being optimistic, not just having a blind optimism without taking in account the reality and actions that must be taken to conquer, fear, worry, doubt, build confidence & maintain a healthy level of optimism.
Hey Ayo.
I’m good and it is good to hear from you.
It sounds like you fit in pretty smoothly with the type of personality that is uplifting to those who are around. I didn’t know realistic optimism was a fairly establish concept until I searched after I posted the article.
I agree with your point about balance. I read somewhere that we are all different in levels or degree of character traits, but not completely opposed to one another. It’s good to find out where we are on the optimism/pessimism curve.
Thanks for this input.
“it’s important to create a balance when one is being optimistic, not just having a blind optimism without taking in account the reality and actions that must be taken to conquer, fear, worry, doubt, build confidence & maintain a healthy level of optimism.”
Now this is really interesting, what I’m wondering is what sort of level of optimism do you think someone like Sir Edmund Hillary had/needed to enable him to survive and conquer Everest? Do you think he had blind optimism or is it achievable on realistic optimism?
Hi Jeanette.
I sure do agree that Ayo set up a convincing line there. There are a lot of parts that have to be packed in with that optimism for it not to be careless leading to something like putting a hand in a fire and not expecting to be burned.
I wonder about that level of optimism needed to survive and conquer Everest, but I’d also say it is a gradual increase in that optimism over time. Right now I know I can hike up a 4-hour mountain hike, and then go back down, so then my level of potential hiking ability in my mind increases. If I kept going on longer trips, it would one day likely lead a trip like Sir Edmund Hillary’s. I certainly wouldn’t do it right now as that would involve blind optimism.
Thanks for that insightful question.
I just found your blog, and I really like this Mounting Hiking series. It’s very interesting to read about the lessons learned from everyday life/adventure. I also like your term “realistic optimism,” and find the application in a group setting to be particularly beneficial. Another side note that I thought of while reading this, is how great it is to surround yourself with like minded people; people that share your same positive attitude and optimism.
Hey Eden.
You came just in time because this is the first series I have done, and that is hilarious because I have written a lot of posts. I did do many quote analysis posts, but they weren’t exactly a series, but more of an article type.
I thought of the phrase “realistic optimism” as said here, and as usual when I think I thought of something unique, searched it on Google and saw a lot of results for it.
That point about like-minded people is a winner. There are people out there that would suck your energy away all day long if you were around them. It is to your advantage to stay around those of your type, and any of other types that step it up to the next level can then join you.
Thanks for your comments and nice to see you here.
Hi Armen, this was an interestingly different article. I agree with your point about realism. Blind optimism is just that – blind. On the other hand while looking at reality in a realistic way, you can look for the positive and the optimistic. People who aren’t realistic are setting themselves up for enormous disappointment.
Hi Stephen.
Thanks for that. I like hearing that the article is of a different type, and I like showing pictures from the trip too. They fit in well to tell the story.
That blind optimism you talk about sure does lead to some tough falls, and they get bigger the larger the blindness is in the optimism.
Good to hear from you.
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