Making Yourself Miserable to Succeed?

PeterAitch writes "Nature is reporting that expecting the worst - emotional cushioning - does not usually make you feel any better when you flunk or flop. The reported study indicates that you are just making yourself miserable. On the flip-side, people who are anxious are more likely to motivate themselves better to prepare for the forthcoming ordeal - defensive pessimists. Those with a generally sunny outlook on life expect to succeed and tend to deny responsibility when they perform badly."

Comments

Re:So who was happer?

[Anonymous Coward]

Those who don't have a clue.

Republicans

[Anonymous Coward]

I believe this models the current administration and Republicans in general. They are basically optimists, who expect the world to behave based on their rosy world-view. When reality inevitably diverges from feel-good pronouncements (Iraq: being showered with roses, oil paying for the reconstruction, the insurgency being defeated easily; Tax cuts: will pay for themselves with increased revenue; Medicare: prescription drug plan with lots of choices will help everyone and not confuse them) they just shrug and say "who could have known?" Both Bush and Rice have said as much in terms of 9/11, Iraq, Katrina, etc.

Democrats I'm sure are just as guilty, but they are more likely to be pessimists, thinking not every citizen can or will be productive workers, hence the need for social services and welfare, not everyone will save enough to retire with ease, hence the need to protect Social Security, etc. All I can say is I've seen a lot less excuses and "Aww shucks, who would have know that would have happened" from Dems than Republicans.