...Entrepreneurial Characteristics, Optimism, Pessimism, and Realism – Correlation or Collision? Liang, Chyi-lyi (Kathleen), Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, The University of Vermont, 103 C Morrill Hall, Burlington, Vermont 05405 Phone (802) 6560754, e-mail: CLIANG@uvm.edu Dunn, Paul, Entrepreneurship Studies Center, The University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, Louisiana 71209 Phone (318) 3421224, e-mail: dunn@ulm.edu Publsihed in the Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp 1-22. 1 Abstract The study of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship has resulted in a great deal of information about who entrepreneurs are and how who they are impacts their behavior. This paper presents additional insight into who entrepreneurs are and how their characteristics relate, and how those relationships might impact their behavior. We have studied selected entrepreneurial characteristics and their relationship to optimism, realism, and pessimism. The study shows that some entrepreneurial characteristics are positively related to optimism and realism and negatively related to pessimism. Key Words: Entrepreneurship, Psychology, Entrepreneurial Characteristics, Optimism, Realism, Pessimism 2 Entrepreneurial Characteristics, Optimism, Pessimism, and Realism – Correlation or Collision? Introduction There is a common argument among researchers regarding if entrepreneurs are optimistic, and if optimism relates to other characgteristics...
Words: 7894 - Pages: 32
...Undoubtedly, self-confidence plays such an important role in people’s life that someone with self-confidence is more likely to succeed even though confronting with a difficult situation while people feeling inferior to others can lose chances that they could have got. Then, many people would ask, how to build up self-confidence exactly? I should tell those people for certain that there is no absolute or exact solution to the problem of lacking self-confidence. For people who are unconfident have different reasons to feel inferior. Therefore the first thing is to figure out who you are and why you are not confident about yourself. For those who are born pessimistic, they should try to look at the good side and always give themselves optimistic hints like seeing the glass half full instead of half empty. For those who are experiencing defeat for the moment, it’s quite normal to doubt themselves and ask the question “Do I make the right choice at the beginning?” But the truth is, those obstacles are what you must learn to deal with on your road to success. So for now all you need is to get some rest and calm down to analyze how come the failure. With some adjustment, you’ll find your confidence and passion in your work soon. By saying rest, I mean traveling, reading a wonderful book, anything that suits you best. I used to be very unconfident. Throwing my mind back to my middle school time, I once was too afraid or say, too unconfident to stand in front of the class to answer a...
Words: 362 - Pages: 2
...tone = speaker’s attitude POSITIVE TONE WORDS NEUTRAL (+, -, or neutral) NEGATIVE TONE WORDS admiring adoring affectionate appreciative approving bemused benevolent blithe calm casual celebratory cheerful comforting comic compassionate complimentary conciliatory confident contented delightful earnest ebullient ecstatic effusive elated empathetic encouraging euphoric excited exhilarated expectant facetious fervent flippant forthright friendly funny gleeful gushy happy hilarious hopeful humorous interested introspective jovial joyful laudatory light lively mirthful modest nostalgic optimistic passionate placid playful poignant proud reassuring reflective relaxed respectful reverent romantic sanguine scholarly self-assured sentimental serene silly sprightly straightforward sympathetic tender tranquil whimsical wistful worshipful zealous commanding direct impartial indirect meditative objective questioning speculative unambiguous unconcerned understated abhorring acerbic ambiguous ambivalent angry annoyed antagonistic anxious apathetic apprehensive belligerent bewildered biting bitter blunt bossy cold conceited condescending confused contemptuous curt cynical demanding depressed derisive derogatory desolate despairing desperate detached diabolic disappointed disliking disrespectful doubtful embarrassed enraged evasive fatalistic fearful forceful ...
Words: 360 - Pages: 2
...The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy. There are many reasons why I chose to look at the cup as half full rather then half empty. Born in to a family full of drugs and alcohol, I some how knew that my life would change. When I was seven years old my birth mother realized she could not take care of my sister and I. There was a great lady that was once my mom’s teacher, she opened her home and most important her heart to us. She welcomed us as we were her own and loved us just the same. From that day on I could not help but to understand there were much more I was suppose to do and all I have to do is keep head up and keep my dreams alive. Starting elementary at the age of seven was a tough and rough challenge for me. I was placed in SLD classes because I started school so late and was far behind my class mates the school though I had a learning disability. Being as determined and positive as I was and most important proving everyone wrong. I excelled in school by the time I got to middle school I was in all advanced classes and only spent two years in Middle school because I was able to skip the seventh grade all together. Reality hit me hard when I became an adult, but I never for got how to keep my hope and find a goals to reach even when things seemed...
Words: 526 - Pages: 3
...Pessimism is an internal stressor to the body. When encountering a challenging situation a pessimist's fight/flight response will be triggered more often and stay switched on for longer than an optimistic person. Pessimism decreases their stress resistance. When people are pessimistic it is difficult to have hope when they face difficulties. They think the difficulties will go on forever and they tend to think they cannot do anything to change or influence events. This stops the pessimist taking any action that would improve their situation. Pessimism undermines the pessimist confidence and interferes with their quality of life. It makes life harder and they stop trying to achieve their goals because they think they will fail before they even started (Specialty Behavioral Health, 2003). When pessimistic sees the company going nowhere, they tend to think bad about the company and themselves. Pessimist think that their opportunities with this company are limited and he or she will not progress within this company. A person who is pessimistic will bring the rest of the employees down with him or her. Their way of thinking is the wright way and there is no other. They are the bad apple (Caroline Clark, 2010) Their thoughts are limited to the negativity of the situation or discussion that they have to make. Opportunities that they are seeking pass by without them knowing they were there. For example, an opportunity arises for the pessimist to show...
Words: 392 - Pages: 2
...Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being Question 1: What alternatives to cosmetic depression drugs do you think would be effective and how could universities apply them to depressed students? In Flourish, Martin Seligman describes two forms of medication: cosmetic drugs and curative drugs. He further explains that insurance companies can only reimburse brief treatments because a complete cure generally implies more time and cost. As a result, Seligman concludes, all psychopharmacopoeai drugs are cosmetic, palliative, and only temporary fixes. Thus, the use of positive psychology in the treatment of depressed patients is even more important. One tactic that could help in the betterment of college students is the use of a “Gratitude Visit.” In this exercise, an individual is encouraged to think of a single person who helped them in some way, but was never properly thanked. Next, the individual must write a letter of gratitude to this person, being thorough and specific in their examples of how this person influenced and affected the individual’s life. Finally, the individual must call this person and arrange for a meeting, face-to-face. At this meeting, they will read the letter, slowly and carefully, allowing a discussion of the content and their response to follow. What is the benefit of this practice? Seligman argues the results will lead the individual to happiness and less depression within a month. Among college students, this influence...
Words: 2309 - Pages: 10
...We have read Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman in our English class this semester, our task is to address Seligman’s rules for being successful and deciding whether or not we agree with his argument. Although I have not read the whole book, we were assigned to read chapters 1, 2, 3, and 12 and by that I was supplied with enough information to construct my own opinion on his claims. Martin Seligman argues that learning to be optimistic can change your way of life and empower yourself through non-negative thinking and I agree because after reviewing everything that I’ve been though these past 5 years, I found that having a positive mindset has got me though some of the hardest times in my life. Summary: In Learned Optimism, Martin Seligman argues that how you explain events to yourself after they happen has a huge impact on your life. In chapter one, Seligman defines two different type of people, pessimists – people who believe in bad events are their own fault and the consequences of the event will last a long time and optimists – people who believe bad events are only temporary, the events are not their fault and can either be caused by bad luck or other people. He goes on to explain that after 25 years of research, he is sure that if we believe bad events are our fault, more of it will befall on us and that the point of his book is to teach us how to recognize out pessimistic tendencies, stop them, and practice an optimistic lifestyle. He believes that because of the negativity...
Words: 3295 - Pages: 14
..."Using the case study provided at the end of the module, identify and explain the client's issues and devise a course of treatment for him, taking into account any ethical issues”. In this essay I will be exploring the issues raised in the case study provided which is about a 45 year old man named 'Mr. X'. I shall be explaining the issues Mr. X has expressed as I have understood them. To be in a position to help Mr X I need to identify issues that arise from the initial interview and produce a course of treatment that I feel would enable Mr X to meet his identified goals. I will be taking in consideration any ethical issues that need to be accounted for. Mr. X is a 45 year old man who has worked at the same Estate Agency for 18 years. He has presented to me the issue that he would like to apply for the manager’s position at his branch but his lack of confidence is holding him back. Mr. X has stood in for the current manager on many occasions so he knows that he is capable of doing the job but has reservations as he doesn’t want to cause any upset amongst the other staff or management if he is not successful. Further discussion with Mr. X revealed that one of the reasons he would like the job as manager is so that his mother would be proud of him and show him a little more respect. She is currently living in a home and he visits her regularly every Friday night although he says she tends to pick on him. Mr. X isn’t clear how or why his mother picks on him, just that she...
Words: 2018 - Pages: 9
...Most people are not happy with their life. Yet they continually venture down the same road of unhappiness. Never willing to change. As you take a birds eye view of your current lifestyle, do you like what you see? Are your relationships, career choices, financial situation and other aspects of your life truly satisfying? Or do you feel there should be more? While most of us have moments of joy, they are usually overshadowed by hours, days and even years of affliction. Stress, depression, heartache and overall anxiety are human nature. But it doesn’t have to be the case for you. You deserve to have the best life possible. The good news? Change is also a part of human nature. In fact, I believe there is an unwritten rule of life stating that the only constant is change. Put in other words, nothing will ever stay the same. This is a huge concept. The reason this is significant for you? Your life is going to change. But it is completely up to you which direction you will take your life when these inevitable changes approach. Will you choose to stay on your current melancholy life direction? Or will you rise up and pursue a life of fulfillment and happiness? The ball is in your court. 1. Get Disturbed We must become the change we want to see. ~ Mahatma Gandhi Enough is enough! When deciding you want change in your life, you must truly get upset with your current situation. Your emotions are very powerful. And you’ll find that by using this energy as a catalyst for change, your desired...
Words: 924 - Pages: 4
...The Secret by Rhonda Byrne; Summary and Response There is a secret that only a few people know of ever since thousands of years. Many powerful leaders knew of it, but they preferred to keep it and not share it. The Secret Revealed: The great secret of life is the "The Law of Attraction". This postulates that similar things are attracted, so when you have a thought, this thought attracts to you similar thoughts. The Secret Made Simple: The law of attraction is a natural law, as it is the law of gravity. As such it is impartial. How to Use the Secret: Ask for, believe, and receive. The Secret to Money: To attract money, focus on wealth. It is impossible to attract money if you are constantly thinking about the "lack of money”. The Secret to Relationships: When you want to attract a relationship, make sure your thoughts, actions, and surroundings are not in conflict with those desires. The Secret of Health: Healing through the mind works harmoniously with medical science. The Secret to the World: That, to which you resist, attracts you. This is because you are strongly focused on it. The Secret to You: Everything is energy. You are an energy magnet, so you can energize everything to you, and electrically energize yourself to attract what you want. The Secret to Life: You are responsible to fill the blackboard of your life with whatever you want. All you need to do is "to feel good now". Response The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne is the most interesting book I have ever read...
Words: 351 - Pages: 2
...travel to Lisbon together, but before they could arrive there, their ship runs into a storm. Despite his kindness, Jacques is pessimistic about human nature. He drowns in the Bay of Lisbon while trying to save the life of an ungrateful sailor; dying in his altruism. Candide and Pangloss arrive in Lisbon to find it destroyed by an earthquake and under the control of the Inquisition. There were many groans of dying and buried victims from the ruins. Pangloss and Candide help them, and Pangloss comforts the victims by telling them the earthquake is for the best. However, one of the officers of the Inquisition accuses Pangloss of heresy because of his optimism. He states that the fall and punishment of man proves that everything is not for the best. In this chapter, Pangloss gives a great portrayal of philosophical optimism. Philosophical optimism, developed by Leibniz between the late 17th and early 18th century, is the belief that this is the best of all possible worlds and humans can know it. Pangloss in this chapter tells the dying and buried victims of the earthquake that all of this is happening for the best. He keeps a very hopeful attitude throughout the storm and the earthquake, when there was clearly not any more hope that could be made. In opposition, one of the officers clearly thinks otherwise. He knows that there is clearly no hope from the events that...
Words: 402 - Pages: 2
...Positivity The word Optimism comes from the Latin word optimus, which means "best". Optimists always look for the best in people and in situations. They also expect every thing to go well, but even if something bad happens, an optimist can still see the positive side. However, those aren't the only advantages to being an optimist. Today, I'm going to inform you on how being positive can help better mental health, physical health, and how you can be more optimistic yourself. Many recent studies have shown how being positive helps mental stablility, more specifically, an optimist doesn't have as much stress as a pessimist. Pessimists have little hope and confidence in themselves. For example, If someone had an exam, and they kept thinking negative things, like how bad they were going to do, they would worry about it. Little things such as this add up, and its just adding unnecessary stress to their life. Biologically, an optimist's body responds better to stress. Researchers from the Psychology Department at Concordia University released a study in 2013 that suggested optimists have more stable cortisol levels, which is the stress hormone. This means an optimist can handle their stress better. Because of this, Optimists are also at lower risk for anxiety disorders such as depression. A study called, “A Prospective Study of the Effects of Optimism on Adolescent Health Risks,” published in the February 2011 issue of Pediatrics. Teens with a positive mindset were...
Words: 714 - Pages: 3
...Superhero Research Essay He was rejected by society but welcomed with open arms. He is ninety five years old but still looks twenty five. He was the first of many but underwent many changes. He is an olympic athlete but don't confuse him with Usain Bolt. He is as worthy as the Gods but don't confuse him with Thor. He is intelligent but is no criminal mastermind. He saves lives but isn't a doctor. He has bullet proof protection but don't confuse him for the wimpy FBI. Fighting for the red, white, and blue he is living symbol for freedom, but don't confuse him with the president. Captain America- despite him being a super soldier- provides idealistic life and morality: he is a strong role model for americans and always views things on the bright side, while being a great leader. He is not only the best superhero ever but gives hope to everyone and provides a positive message on never giving up. He started from the bottom of the pit and never gave up; he became the best “man” he could, even though he had a little help from science. Transforming his life to be accepted, volunteering to become a super soldier, accepting his new reality, Captain America never gives up. People look up to him because he started off not accepted by societies view; he was a scrawny malnourished man that got rejected multiple times. Even though he had the help of military science, the olympic athlete abilities and physical attractiveness gave people hope that if they never give up they can succeed...
Words: 1018 - Pages: 5
...Module 1: Be the change…. Be a YES man.. Data base: Activity: Half Full? - A Look at Optimism and its Importance Objectives: • To encourage participants to consider their attitude. • To encourage discussion around optimistic versus pessimistic outlooks. • To recognize the impact that attitude has on performance. • To enable participants to identify personal traits that might be holding them back. • To encourage leaders to consider how they might deal with negative attitudes in their team. Procedures: * Participants are gathered in a specific area (room or open space) * Participants are then group into smaller groups. * Three glasses will be presented to the group an empty glass, half fill glass with water and a full glass with water. * Individuals in the group will be ask “which glass is full” * The group is given a time to discuss the given matter on hand. * Each group will write their answer on a piece of paper then submitted to the facilitator. Processing: This module provides an excellent opportunity, when working with a wide range of participants, to consider how attitude can impact on performance. Topics where the inclusion of a module looking at optimism/pessimism might be beneficial include: Managing change, problem solving and decision making and communication skills. * How did you find the activity? * What did you feel during the activity? * How did you work the activity? * What did you do during the activity? ...
Words: 1710 - Pages: 7
...Personal Responsibility Essay During my research, I’ve discovered more strategies that students may use to cope with situations that are risky in that they present the possibility for failure and potential threats to self-esteem. (Cantor, Julie., Niedental, Langston, & Brower, Dec 1987) Anxiety and openly set low expectations may lead to performance shortfalls called defensive pessimism. (Cantor, Julie., Niedental, Langston, & Brower, Dec 1987) Students like me may use this strategy due to low expectations to cope with their anxiety so that it does not become devastating. There are many tools to attain successful measure towards personal responsibility. The first step is to define what it means to you individually, it allows for self-reflection to navigate the path to a successful future in life and your career. I believe personal responsibility is not giving excuses on why I’m not persevering through hard times. When I first attended college, I didn`t plan properly for any difficult tasks either in my personal life, school, or work. Instead of seeking help from reliable sources, I would give up and throw in the towel and stop believing in myself when specific tasks involves research that challenges me to go a level I’m not comfortable at. The good news is I turned to my family support because they are my driving force and motivation to accomplishing the goal of obtaining my degree due to the fact it will change our quality of life completely. Personal responsibility requires...
Words: 973 - Pages: 4
