Is it time for an attitude adjustment?

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Sept, 1998 by Barbara K. Bruce, Denise Foley

"... If you have a gloomy outlook on life, are hostile, or, like Chicken Little, are fretting constantly that the sky is falling, studies show you are at high risk for developing depression and anxiety."

You got your blue eyes from Dad and your strawberry blond hair from Mom. The tiny bump on the bridge of your nose definitely is from Grandpa William. However, did you also inherit your pessimistic attitude or your sunny outlook? Are you genetically programmed to see the glass as half empty or half full?

Recent research suggests that some personality traits and attitudes indeed may be part of your genetic blueprint. In 1996, scientists announced they had located genes linked to anxiety, addiction, happiness, and pessimism. Their studies provocatively suggest that you may have been born to be grumpy, hostile, a worrier, outgoing, or cheerful. You even may be one of those people who is born to be wild because you carry a thrill-seeking gene.

If you have struggled all your life with chronic worry, dark moods, or a short fuse, does this research mean you are a born loser in a biological game of chance? The answer is "no." Biology is not destiny, nor is your attitude entirely a matter of luck. Part of your personality is inherited, but, at most, only half is. That leaves a lot of room for self-improvement. Even more encouraging, the genes for personality aren't like those for eye color and height. Your blue eyes and short stature are determined by your DNA. You merely inherit a susceptibility for doom and gloom--and, conversely, cheerfulness. Whether you see the glass as half empty or half full is largely up to you.

Chronic worrying, flying into a rage at the slightest provocation, or always expecting the worst are traits worth changing, but there are other reasons to adjust your attitude. Studies show that being positive pays off. Research has found that individuals with positive outlooks do better in school, their careers, and personal lives than pessimists. In one study, for instance, insurance salespeople who had positive outlooks sold 56% more insurance than less-optimistic coworkers. That result convinced one of the nation's largest insurance companies to start hiring people based on their optimism, not just their salesmanship.

Optimists invariably are physically and mentally healthier. Studies have found that they rarely get depressed and anxious. Optimists are more likely to take better care of themselves by eating right, exercising, and getting checkups. One study found that young women who considered themselves "positive" knew more about cancer and did more to prevent it than those who were more pessimistic.

When optimists do get sick, they recover quicker. Heart bypass patients who were more upbeat recovered faster from surgery and felt better at a five-year follow-up than pessimists who had the same operation. In another study, pregnant women who were upbeat during their third trimester were less likely to have postpartum depression.

Being positive isn't a Pollyanna-like attitude that somehow things will work out for the best. Optimists believe they can make things succeed. They look at setbacks as temporary and failures as learning experiences. Like the "Little Engine That Could," they think they can, which gives them the energy and motivation to make it happen. Their positive attitude buffers them against stress because they react to adversity by planning and taking action. That makes them feel in control. When things do go wrong, they make the best of it. They face life's slings and arrows with a sense of hope.

On the other hand, if you have a gloomy outlook on life, are hostile, or, like Chicken Little, are fretting constantly that the sky is falling, studies show you are at high risk for developing depression and anxiety. That's because, when you predict the future--and you do--it always looks bleak. You are more likely to do poorly in school and work largely because you have so little confidence in your abilities. Even your health may suffer. Research has found that pessimism can shorten your life, and hostility--specifically having an aggressive and cynical view of people and the world around you--predisposes you to heart disease. You are more likely to feel helpless, not hopeful, when adversity strikes.

In small doses, some of these negative attitudes can be constructive. There are times when anger is appropriate--if you are snubbed by a good friend or feel you have been passed over for a promotion, for example. If you are worried that your marketing presentation won't go over or that you haven't prepared well enough for your meeting, anxiety can prod you to work even harden Even a little caution is healthy--ask any safety engineer, CEO, or mother.

If you are consumed by worry, though, you won't have the energy to put into your preparation. If you are too cautious, you may not take calculated risks that could be beneficial to you. If you don't believe anything you can do will make a difference, you are likely to quit too soon, perhaps within reach of your goal.