The Financial Upside of Being an Optimist

Under the weight of chronic stress at work, optimists are winning.

It's hard to escape the fact that chronic stress is one of the greatest threats to well-being in modern times. In a report published by The National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health, 75% of workers say they are more stressed than the previous generation, and 40% place themselves on the high end of the stress spectrum. In a large-scale study of more than 11,000 people, researcher Shawn Achor and I found that 91% of people had maladaptive responses to stress that exacerbated circumstances and decreased well-being. In the face of this mounting reality, some argue that chronic stress is a "modern day birthright." It is not. Chronic stress is a trap we've fallen into - one that we can get out of with intentionality.

An antidote to chronic stress is cultivating an optimistic mindset - and it serves us well over the course of our careers. In a new study I conducted in partnership with Frost Bank, we found that when it comes to money, optimists are more likely to make smart moves and reap the benefits.

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