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Comment by scandinavegan | Hacker News Reader

I've read that predictions on the future made by pessimists end up closer to reality than by optimists. It might make sense to plan for the worst from a practical perspective, to limit unnecessary risks. But on the other hand, people with really low expectations are usually not super happy when something turns out better than expected, they just find something else to complain about.

Being optimistic, without setting expectations so high that you're constantly disappointed, seems to be a more pleasurable way to live your life. Also, the consequences of failure to meet whatever high standards self-critical people put on themselves are rarely as bad as you think before it happens.

I like your way of finding some balance between being pessimistic and optimistic.

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Predictions of the future made by pessimists lead to a life of no mistakes, but neither do they take you anywhere new. It's just like living a suburban life all of your life: you'll never learn what's outside your neighborhood. Or take larger corporations: they stop making any existential risks, and tend to slowly die in the next 50-100 years.

On the second part: or you could just set high expectations and learn how to live in a constant disappointment without being any less happy because of it.

> But on the other hand, people with really low expectations are usually not super happy when something turns out better than expected

I don't know, in my experience having high expectations seems to set you up for a higher fall and a lower upside, thus leading to less happiness. I have generally quite low expectations and am generally quite happy. Some people around me have generally much higher expectations and are generally quite unhappy. The things in life where I do have some higher expectations about are also the things I'm the least happy about.

> I don't know, in my experience having high expectations seems to set you up for a higher fall and a lower upside, thus leading to less happiness.

I used to feel this way, but I no longer think that optimism and expectation have to be that closely linked. To me optimism is about having hope, not expectations. Similarly, my pessimism isn't about what I expect to happen, it's about what I fear happening.

So, I choose to balance my fear and hope.

ALso, as an optimist that misses a high goal, you may still end up in a great place. A pessimist that achieves his may not end up where he really wanted to be.

Self fulfilling prophecy

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