Introduction

You have probably heard the saying, "Attitude is everything," before. There are people who believe that attitude has an affect on the outcome of events, including their level of success. Some people think that if one has a positive outlook, then he or she is more likely to do well. You can usually tell if you are in the presence of an optimist or a pessimist almost immediately. In which category do you fall? Are you an optimist or a pessimist?

For this exercise, you will read two perspectives on optimism and then take a self-test to find out if you have a tendency to be optimistic or pessimistic. Then, you will summarize the results of your self-test in light of what you have read. Are you really what you define yourself as? Are you surprised by your results?

Optimism Readings and Self-Test

The Optimism of Uncertainty
(http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=6589)
Self-Reliance
(http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/emerson.html)
Self-Test, Optimism
(http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/items/selftest/item_236.html)

Directions

Read the brief article "The Optimism of Uncertainty." After you have finished reading it, visit the second Web site to read Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Self-Reliance." Finally, when you have finished reading the essay, go to "Self-Test, Optimism" and take the assessment.

1.	Once you have finished exploring the Web sites and have taken the self-test, summarize the results for your self-test, incorporating what you learned in the previous two readings. Are you surprised by the results of your self-test? Explain.