The Benefits of a Positive Personality On Career Success

Be a Star -Murad Abel

Daily life can be hard but those who have a positive personality are likely to go further than those who don’t. Being positive has significant benefits for your career and for your psychological well-being. Those who master the art of looking for the best possible outcomes also come to find that they make friends easily and are able to move up the career ladder faster than those with negative dispositions.

We have all met that grumpy person who tears down everything they talk about or focus on. They chronically complain; food, clothes, job, life, money…anything! Their negative behavior becomes catchy and the more time you spend with this person the more likely you are going to start thinking like them.

Don’t live by their example. Seek to develop your own positive outlook on life. Doing so will lead to greater career opportunities and more friends. A positive personality will help you develop resilience when life does become difficult. Looking for the best possible outcomes is an exercise of the mind. 

Personality has a large impact on whether or not a person is liked by others. For example, teachers who are appreciated by others showed traits of extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, emotional stability, and openness (Eryilmaz, 2014). They were easy to get along with and were generally non-judgmental of others.

We are attracted to people who are positive because they help us feel good about ourselves and the potential of developing relationships. When someone shows a positive personality we trust their judgment. Why not? They like us right? Our assessment of them becomes reciprocal as we feed off of their positive energy.

It is natural that those who can attract other people also attract greater opportunities. Most of us love to work with people who are happy, positive, and feel like they can accomplish anything. We enjoy sharing opportunities with those who help us feel good and appreciate our presence.

Developing a positive outlook requires thinking about all the blessings you have. Gratitude and savoring was a predictor of positive psychological affectivity (Mailolino & Kuiper, 2014). Being appreciative of life, your career, and your opportunities can go a long way in developing your contentment.

Being positive has many benefits for your psychological health as well as your career. Developing a positive way of thinking about yourself, your life, and your prospects impacts not only your opportunities but also the way in which you see the world. Once a positive outlook is mastered you will find yourself creating the confidence needed to tackle any important job task leading to greater performance and more support. 

Be a Star: The photo was taken at La Jolla Beach and represents our goals and aspirations in life. The water in the background looks a little like sparks while the attention is focused on the start itself. The shutter speed could be adjusted to create a different waterfall look. Posters of the picture are available on the Creative Works Page or Fine Art America. 

Eryilmaz, A. (2014). Perceived personality traits and types of teachers and their relationship to the subjective well-being and academic achievement of adolescents. Educational Science, 14 (6).

Maiolino, N. & Kuiper, N. (2014). Integrating human and positive psychology approaches to psychological well-being. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 10 (3).

Use Positive Optimism to Expand Your Career Opportunities

Optimism attracts people and those who can gather together the greatest amount of people enhance their social influence. Those who are in business can enhance their social networks and attract more people to their cause simply through being more positive about life. Positive contacts not only help build your social networks but also enhance future career opportunities.

Positive impressions helps others to feel good about themselves and their prospects. If people are willing to spend millions on cosmetic products, tickets for sports games, branded clothing, and the other luxuries of life to feel good they will also be attracted to a positive person who helps them feel this way. For the low price a few moments of time they can walk away with positive impressions for a while without experiencing buyers remorse.

It is important to be a rational optimist to ensure you maintain your credibility. Optimism should be based on understanding challenges as they actually are but focusing on those solutions which are most likely to produce a positive outcome. People will follow an optimistic person that can see the challenges people face but enlightens them to stronger paths.

Optimism helps people feel as though they can master challenges in work, family, or daily living. People love to feel as though they are strong enough to master their environment. When someone is optimistic they are able to attract others to them precisely because people want to feel more confident about their prospects. Positive feelings encourages people to come back again and again for many years.

People who are positive are also more approachable than those with negative dispositions. You may remember a time when you were attracted to a person who had a positive disposition. When someone is smiling and jolly others feel it is easy to approach that person. Their body language tells others "come talk to me I am a friendly and open person".  It doesn't take long before someone takes notice and make steps to meet you.

The impression a person leaves after leaving someone is just as important for attraction them as the initial contact. Positive and optimistic people leave a positive impression on people that influences how they remember the experience. Happy memories lead to word-of-mouth introductions through character references and future opportunities to connect to their social networks.

Birds of a feather flock together. Both optimism and pessimism are contagious. If people are negative about their lives and others around them it becomes likely that negativity will begin to influence their way of thinking. Surrounding yourself with positive people will attract additional positive people and protect you from negative thinking.

Optimism is a way of looking at the world and it has a euphoric effect on the people you meet. They are naturally attracted to people who help them feel good and enjoy the positive side of life. Creating positive impressions among people also helps you develop your personal and career networks in a way that leads to additional opportunities in the future. Use the power of positive optimism to expand your career influence and raise the quality of your life through the power of your mind is a skill learned over time.

You may be interested in a CNN article on how Optimism improves your cardiovascular health.