Researchers sure love to mess with us. They used to say that happiness is the key to longevity and a great life. Now a bunch of researchers and psychologists are suggesting you could do better with the opposite. Citing high achievers from Mozart to Jeff Bezos (Amazon's CEO) to Hollywood celebrity Hugh Grant, this BBC article pointed out that these high fliers may have their difficult personalities to thank. Indeed, people often associate geniuses with eccentric tempers. Yet on the other hand, achievers like Hugh Jackman and Barack Obama are known to be perfectly nice and mild-mannered. Even accomplished chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsey, who acts like the chef from hell on American reality television cooking competition Hell's Kitchen, is known to be perfectly nice and friendly off-cameras. So which is which? Of course, aside from these examples, studies have also been done on people to prove the point.
First off, it would be interesting to explore the factors and arguments that have led to this conclusion. Pessimistic people tend to be less reckless and more careful because they imagine the worst situations. This means they are more likely to adopt healthier living habits, drive carefully, choose marriage partners more carefully and so forth, which would lead to a higher quality of life in the long run.
On the other hand, optimistic people may be more likely to indulge in risky behaviour like drunk driving, unprotected sex, unhealthy food, and they are more likely to marry someone whom they fall in love with at first sight. Of course, it would be unfair to assume that all or even most optimistic people are like that. Nevertheless, without a doubt, pessimistic people who imagine and take precautions for the worst are likely to more well-equipped to handle challenges, compared to the blindly optimistic who simply hope for the best.
Moving on to more scientific evidence. When we are angry or threatened, the brain releases adrenaline to prepare the body for fight or flight. This hormone also boosts motivation and nudges people to take mental risks. You often hear of people getting a sudden brainwave or accomplishing more than they usually do during an adrenaline rush. It sounds contradictory for sure, since just a paragraph ago, we're talking about how not indulging in risky behaviour is a good thing. Nevertheless, there is the Chinese saying "If you don't enter the tiger's den, you won't get the tiger cubs." It means that if you don't take risks, you won't achieve greatness. So a healthy dosage of risks is still important!
But perhaps more realistically, allowing oneself to freely express your emotions when in a bad mood just feels better for the heart. Repressing your negative emotions can in the long run lead to depression and high blood pressure. On the other hand, those who are able to find it in themselves to express their anger, for instance, at an incompetent colleague or service provider, a friend who did something wrong, an inconsiderate neighbour... not only do they let off steam, they could potentially correct the offending party's behaviour, which would make life easier and cut out further resentment.
Finally, scientists like Joseph Forgas, who studies the impact of emotions on behaviour, says that “Negative moods indicate we’re in a new and challenging situation and call for a more attentive, detailed and observant thinking style.” Indeed, changes and challenges are always good as they help us to grow, not only in achievements, but also emotionally and intellectually. Happiness and contentment, on the other hand, makes us reluctant to get out of our comfort zone, so consequentially, we don't grow.
Nevertheless, it would be a pretty sad life to constantly pursue betterment but not enjoy the fruits of your labour! Furthermore, nobody likes being around someone who is frequently bad tempered and grumpy. So the key is to practise moderation. Be sensible and cautious when dealing with risks, but don't avoid them at all costs. Accept that anger is a normal emotion and be free to articulate it, but don't be unreasonable and spiteful, and more importantly, do not use physical violence. Appreciate what you have, but be quick to get out of your comfort zone when opportunities arise.
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