Episode Summary
In today’s episode I share the activity recommended by Martin Seligman in his book Learned Optimism that helps identify your explanatory style.
I explain what The ABC’s refer to and how important they are in understanding how things that happen to you make you feel.
Episode Show Notes
This episode once again draws on the work from Marting Seligman’s excellent book, Learned Optimism.
00:31 – Part 3 of Martin Seligman’s book is called “Changing From Pessimism To Optimism”. It starts with this quote:
Life inflicts the same setbacks and tragedies on the optimist as on the pessimist. But the optimist weather’s them better.
As we have seen, the optimist bounces back from defeat, and with his life somewhat poorer, he picks up and starts again.
The pessimist, however gives up and falls into depression
Martin Seligman, Part Three, Learned Optimism
01:29 – Becoming an optimist is about learning a new set of skills about how to talk to yourself when you experience personal defeat.
Martin Seligman, Part Three, Learned Optimism
02:38 – The ABCs of explanatory style – Adversity, Beliefs and Consequences.
04:15 – Seligman sets a task of identifying 5 ABCs over a period of a couple of days to help understand your explanatory style.
05:49 – Already I can think of two examples in my own life I can draw upon.
