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Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life Paperback – January 3, 2006

by Martin E. P. Seligman (Author)

495 customer reviews

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National Bestseller

The father of the new science of positive psychology and author of Authentic Happiness draws on more than twenty years of clinical research to demonstrate how optimism enchances the quality of life, and how anyone can learn to practice it. Offering many simple techniques, Dr. Seligman explains how to break an “I—give-up” habit, develop a more constructive explanatory style for interpreting your behavior, and experience the benefits of a more positive interior dialogue. These skills can help break up depression, boost your immune system, better develop your potential, and make you happier..

With generous additional advice on how to encourage optimistic behavior at school, at work and in children, Learned Optimism is both profound and practical–and valuable for every phase of life.

"Vaulted me out of my funk.... So, fellow moderate pessimists, go buy this book." —Marian Sandmaier, The New York Times Book Review

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Vaulted me out of my funk. . . . So, fellow moderate pessimists, go buy this book." — The New York Times Book Review”One of the most important books of the century--an absolute must-read for all persons interested in genuinely understanding and helping our fellow human beings.” —Dr. Robert H. Schuller, author of Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do "Dr. Seligman makes an optimistic case for optimism: you can learn it, you can measure it, you can teach it, and you will be healthier and happier for it.” —Dr. Aaron T. Beck, author of Love is Never Enough“A system for reforming the most entrenched pessimist.” —Philadelphia Daily News

About the Author

Martin E.P. Seligman, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and a past president of the American Psychological Association, is a leading motivational expert and an authority on learned helplessness. His many books include Authentic Happinessand The Optimistic Child. Dr. Seligman's research has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Aging, the National Science Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Guggenheim Foundation.

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Product details

Paperback: 319 pages
Publisher: Vintage; Reprint edition (January 3, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1400078393
ISBN-13: 978-1400078394
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 495 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,740 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #83 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Psychology & Counseling > Personality
- #201 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Happiness
- #439 in Books > Self-Help > Personal Transformation

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like how we can live happier

November 27, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I was introduced to Martin Seligman during a University class called "Positive Psychology". To those that are unfamiliar with the sub-field, positive psychology is an offshoot of traditional psychology. It focuses on different aspects of psychology, like how we can live happier, healthier, more productive, and more fulfilled lives.

Learned Optimism sets out on a quest to change a fundamental aspect of human personality. While we have all been asked the question, "Is the glass half empty or half full?", who knew a book could help change your answer? Is that an overstatement? Absolutely not.

Seligman explains that people have different ways of explaining events. When an event happens, it can be seen as neutral. The milk spilled; WE are the ones who say that is a 'good' or 'bad' thing. While many self help books try to address the issue of positivity, they advocate blindly holding an optimistic attitude. I have read many pop psychology and self help books, ranging from "The Power of Positive Thinking" to "How to Win Friends and Influence People", to "Think and Grow Rich" (I'm still trying this one - no luck so far). Some of these self-help books advocate an almost faith-based approach to changing one's behavior. Simply will something, and if you desire it enough, you can manifest it! Allow your inner thoughts and desires to carve out your external world! Think positive and you can do anything!

I believe Zig Ziglar said that no matter how positive somebody was, if they aren't a certified cardiovascular surgeon, he wouldn't trust them to give him open heart surgery! I agree, and I think positive thinking without realism, prudence, and planning is pointless. In Learned Optimism, this problem is addressed. Seligman points out that being positive isn't something you turn on and keep on 24/7. When a bad thing happens, an optimistic person doesn't paint over it, declaring "It will be totally fine, I'm happy!". The difference is that an innate optimist would say that negative events are external and temporary.

This distinction is an incredible revelation, and we all do this to an extent! When treated rudely, perhaps by a clerk, a pessimist might declare that "People are rude, this is the way things are.", and that the clerk "Was a jerk". They might be upset or offended, taking the clerk's actions as an attack toward them. An optimist, according to Seligman, THINKS differently. They might say "THIS (particular) Clerk is acting rude." He or she "must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed."

This difference in explanatory style was the key concept I took away from this book. While events simply occur, one's interpretation can be positive or negative. So if it's a choice, then how do we change from being pessimistic to being optimistic?

You'll have to read the book to find out. Either way, just know that while positive psychology is a new field, I gained more from this scientifically accredited book than I did reading 5 self-help books. Apply the concepts and principles within, and you might just surprise yourself! :)

26 people found this helpful

Comment

Unlike many "self help" books that are more well-intentioned than really useful, it isn't a 'recipe book' of step-by-step instru

September 30, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I've bought this book for myself, most of my family and a whole slew of my friends. The first thing that impressed me about it was that it actually DEFINES depression, simply and straightforwardly, so it makes sense. Unlike many "self help" books that are more well-intentioned than really useful, it isn't a 'recipe book' of step-by-step instructions that "are supposed to" work for everybody. We all have different ways of implementing game plans, and this book respects the reader by recognizing that fact.

Instead of directing the reader's process, it follows the advice my teacher used to give me -- if you're struggling with an adversary, capture one of the enemy and interrogate it. The more you know about how it operates, the better you'll be at keeping it out of your way. It provides questionnaires that help with assessing the problem, both at the beginning and along the way (ALWAYS use a sheet of paper for the quizzes, so you can take them repeatedly and evaluate the changes you're making), and suggestions for strategies to get in touch with your feelings and construct a personal strategy for healing..

25 people found this helpful

Comment

It makes perfect sense to me as a father of a teenage ...

January 1, 2018

Format: Audible AudiobookVerified Purchase

Everyone at risk of pessimism or depression, every parent should read this book. It makes perfect sense to me as a father of a teenage boy struggling with depression. The key take-way is: optimism is a choice, a learnable skill and attitude. It does not change facts. But it does change how you feel about and deal with them.

7 people found this helpful

Comment

August 28, 2010

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book was recommended to me by my psychologist, as an up and coming theory for treatment of depression. The author was inspired to study depression because of his own father's depression. "Learned optimism" is based on the idea of "learned helplessness," or the theory that if a person believes that he/she has no control over the bad things that happen to him/her--that bad things just occur randomly and for no reason--then the person gives up trying to find ways to make his/her life better and as a result he/she becomes depressed. "Learned optimism" is designed to teach a person with "learned helplessness" that while he/she might not have control over life's events, what he/she does have control of is his/her own thinking about those events. The book includes a questionnaire that is designed to test whether or not you suffer from depression. It can also be taken online, which I recommend, because it automatically scores the questionnaire for you. If you take it in the book, you have score it yourself, which can be a little complicated. The book then explains the significance of your score, and gives exercises to help you change the way you think about different events so that you begin to think more optimistically. It also has a children's section, with its own questionnaire. Because the author is an academic who has limited experience working with actual patients, his theories are based almost completely on research conducted in a laboratory. While I think that the book makes some good points and has some good suggestions, I think that rather than using this book as a means to an end, it could be used as a starting point for discussions between doctors and their patients in treatment. My main objection to the book is the adult questionnaire. You are told that even if you have not experienced an event, to guess what you would do based on your past experience in a similar event. I found that the description of some of the events were so vague that it is was difficult to decide what I would do in that situation, so I just randomly picked one answer. I found the children's questionnaire to be more relatable because I understood the situation better. There are also quite a few chapters based on the laboratory research and the comparison of the author's research with other research being conducted on the same subject. As a person who has suffered for many years with depression, I found the book to be limited in its usefulness to me. I think the causes of depression are much more complicated than those that are discussed in the book. With the years of personal counseling that I have been through, I feel that I understand myself and the roots of my depression pretty well, and have advanced beyond the theories in this book. Again, I think this would be an excellent book to use as a starting point for a patient who is just starting out in therapy for depression. All treatment needs to begin with a theory, and we need academics to continue to advance their theories for the use of doctors and patients in the field.

51 people found this helpful

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Most recent customer reviews

Waste of time and narrator speaks as though he is intentionally trying to put you to sleep.

Could only recommend for someone who is severely depressed. Information is not applicable to day to day life and might actually prevent people from being honest with themselves...Read more

Published 4 days ago

What's missing from abridged version?

I've read articles about Seligman's work, and was excited to listen to this book. Unfortunately, it's only availing as an audiobook in this abridged version.Read more

Published 17 days ago

End Depression, help your kids and yourself

I enjoyed this book. It was a page turner because it was teaching & guiding me. I'm now able to identify when my thoughts start to go to the pessimistic side...Read more

Published 20 days ago

Cindy Lyn Hansen

Book was in the condition advertised. A fascinating book. It can change your life and the way you look at things. I marked it up a lot as I read it.Read more

Published 1 month ago

Not what it should be...

Hard to follow at times, but interesting premise.

Published 1 month ago

perfect just what was advertised.

Published 1 month ago

Joseph V. Kelly

but not at odds with the content of the book -- I would love a revised edition that changed up some of the ...

I read this once 18 years ago and it changed my life. I had to buy it again in case I missed anything and on a second read, I find some of the language a bit old.Read more

Published 2 months ago

Reads more like a History book

In hindsight, googling a free CBT Thought Record could have saved me from reading a historical recap of the development of positive psychology.Read more

Published 3 months ago

Very good read. The identification of explanatory style and how it effects our mood, optimism, pessimism, and success is enlightening.Read more

Published 3 months ago

Don't recommend it for anyone with psychology background unless you have ...

Not too sophisticated in my opinion. Did not come with the CDs to take the quizzes, but I don't think that would change my mind about the content.Read more

Published 4 months ago

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