There is a Fine Line Between Optimism and Delusion

I crossed it and it made me miserable

My most optimistic days were my worst ones. They made me miserable.

There was a point when I was totally messed up. I thought optimism was a scam.

Turn out I wasn’t optimistic, I was deluded.

There is a fine line between the two

Optimism makes you a better person, delusion makes you ignorant and oblivious to the facts of the situation.

I have heard many people ramble on about how self-improvement is a scam. I understand where they come from. I don’t believe it though.

Recently I heard one of the supposed victims of self-help books. She described her situation quite well.

She was broke but her self help book explained how negative thoughts attract negative things. It told her to be positive and repeat good thoughts.

She walked around her hotel saying “I am a money magnet” and repeating it thousands of times.

Surprise, surprise! It didn't work. She was still broke.

She wasn’t optimistic, she was deluded. No offence to her though.

Everything is a self-improvement article

Everything makes you form your own conclusion. Everything provides a deeper underlying takeaway to the reader.

This takeaway can be a different perspective to look from. A way to improve your thinking — mature it.

I have mentioned in another article how in my opinion no one can be overly optimistic. I stand by it.

You can be deluded though. Don’t confuse the two.

The difference between the two comes into play when you do something in line with your optimistic/deluded belief.

It goes both ways.

Go after the long term

In a world where everyone is searching for a shortcut — and rightfully so, true winners play the long game.

I have talked to several people in the writing industry. It has been a pleasure, nothing less. Many of them will not be doing this in a few years.

People see it as a means to make money. Once you make enough to satisfy yourself, it is enough. You move to the next thing.

It's not their or our fault though. Marketing campaigns are led by, “Write and make 6 figures”

It is misleading. But it is also necessary to get people in.

Working on something consistently compounds progress. It is not a linear relationship. That is good to hear. The progress keeps multiplying, even if it is a small factor.

I witnessed this.

I used to barely scrape 4 views a day. It was demotivating.

When I became consistent and made genuine progress to improve I gathered over 600 views in a day! It was more than my total views before that article.

It stunned me. I thought I was dreaming.

Optimism kept me going. It was optimism and not delusion because I was putting in the work.

Make no mistake I am far from done. But, it is good to know what I am doing is reaping results. It brings satisfaction.

Results started showing after a month. It was worth it. But it took patience and consistency. Count me in!

Delusion is a fake friend

It makes you think everything is going A-ok. It isn’t.

The thing is reality catches up to you at one point or another.

When it does you feel miserable had you been deluded before.

When people start flying ahead of you and you are stuck at the same exact place hiding behind, “It will all work out,” it brings out the worst of you.

I hate that me because that wasn’t me.

Everything felt meaningless and empty. There was a strong loss of direction.

What should I do? What am I meant to do?

I felt no one could understand my issues. I felt condemned.

I had to hide behind a fake persona of having everything under control.

The worst part is the jealousy. People’s successes make you resent them. You feel they have been niced by the universe.

Run!

I found a direction, it made sense. Running.

Running was a turning point for me.

I had something to look forward to. Some direction.

I ate well because if I didn’t I wouldn’t be able to run as well. I fixed my sleep schedule.

I felt better — happier.

Things were revolving around something good. I would try to beat my best runs. That was the turning point.

I wasn’t thinking about where I would be in 10 years, I was just thinking about how to break my current record tomorrow.

Everyone needs to know their next step. It is essential. Even if you will not do it in a month.

I don’t run nowadays. I write now. It propelled me into another thing that I enjoyed.

When you make an effort to improve, things start revolving in your favour. You become optimistic. Your effort is in line with the outcome you want.

When you know your next step, you think about that. When you have nothing to prepare for, you think about 10 years later and that is a recipe for disaster.

Trust me I have been there.

Now, this doesn’t mean don’t prepare for the future. It means don’t worry about it.

When you worry about it, you allow self-doubt to set in. You don’t want that.

All in all

Optimism breeds focus, delusion tells you, you don’t need it.

As long as you are consistently taking the next step you have a case for being optimistic.

Delusion tells you, you are special and you’ll have it different.

You won’t.

Here’s a fact; Tomorrow is a dreamland — fiction. It only exists Peter Pan.

Positive thinking won’t attract good things, optimistic thinking will. It will keep you going.

Being deluded won’t do you any favours. You will wait for good things but they won’t come that way.

It feels as if the whole world is against you — as if you were destined to fail.

Optimism is thinking you will get around by developing a logical plan and sticking to it. Delusion is not recognising the problem, to begin with.

Knowing the difference is essential.

Do what you should be doing today. Tomorrow will never come.

Today is here, live today. Make the most out of today, write your tomorrow yourself.

Stories featured in this story (in order);