Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life
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Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life Audible Audiobook – Abridged

Martin E. P. Seligman Ph.D. (Author, Narrator), Simon & Schuster Audio (Publisher)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 2,917 ratings
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You can acquire optimism and significantly improve your life! Are you an optimist or a pessimist? How often do you take on exciting new projects or celebrate your successes? Now psychologist Martin E.P. Seligman, one of the world's experts on motivation, shows you how to chart a new approach to living with "flexible optimism." Dr. Seligman's principles of reasoned, flexible optimism will help you rise above pessimism and the depression that accompanies negative thoughts.

Learned Optimism shows you how to:

  • Attain maximum personal achievement
  • Boost your mood - and your immune system - with healthful thoughts
  • Help your children by practicing the patterns of thought that encourage optimism at an early age
  • Change your interior dialogue and experience the astonishing positive results

Previous page
  1. Listening Length
    1 hour and 23 minutes
  2. Author
    Martin E. P. Seligman Ph.D.
  3. Narrator
    Martin E. P. Seligman Ph.D.
  4. Audible release date
    April 27, 2001
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Simon & Schuster Audio
  7. ASIN
    B00005JXWW
  8. Version
    Abridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 1 hour and 23 minutes
Author Martin E. P. Seligman Ph.D.
Narrator Martin E. P. Seligman Ph.D.
Audible.com Release Date April 27, 2001
Publisher Simon & Schuster Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Abridged
Language English
ASIN B00005JXWW
Best Sellers Rank #7,833 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#31 in Medical Applied Psychology
#92 in Popular Psychology Personality Study
#271 in Psychology (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
2,917 global ratings
Eye opening information
5 Stars
Eye opening information
The first two parts of the book are generally about research and psychological principles. The last three chapters give you the tools/exercises to change from a pessimistic explanatory style to an optimistic explanatory style.I found the research in the first two parts of the book to be extremely interesting. However, if you’re looking for practical methods of changing explanatory patterns, it can be tough to get through all of the background information first.Best of luck on your journey!
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Top reviews from the United States

RR
5.0 out of 5 stars original framework to understand our inner-dialog
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024
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This book is beautifully written, reads like a thriller, and packs plenty of wisdom in each page. The author not only understands the field as an expert but writes well, and conveys the core ideas in a useful way. This book showed me how much of a pessimist I was in certain areas. Many of us "realists" unfortunately are pessimists too - I realized, and limit ourselves unnecessarily in areas where such self-imposed limits are not warranted.

This book has a toolkit for us to evaluate the "narrative" that we have within ourselves, and it also allows us to evaluate the narratives that others have based on statements they make. I have not seen this toolkit presented in this manner anywhere else. The author requires us to behave as a scientist or detective, exploring the inner-dialogs and how it shapes our views and feelings - not just in ourselves but in others too. This ties in to ideas of mindfulness or awareness, because, without mindfulness or deeper awareness, it is difficult to engage in the "watching" of the inner narrative. I was hoping the author provide more details on the CAVE technique that he speaks about, but the specifics of that were not disclosed in this book.

I have added plenty of highlights and notes, and plan to revisit them periodically, also try to practice the techniques that the author shared (ABCDE, PPP etc). I think the techniques in this book will not only lead to better or more accurate cognition of events, and situations, but also, an overall improved, hopeful and optimistic outlook in general.
One person found this helpful
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Jon
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book, all thoughts and Theories extremely well
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2020
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The book is great for anyone wanting to learn about some basic Psychology, And for those who just want to be more optimistic and reap all the benefits. The book does very well I’ll explain every thought in theory The author ever had along with other opinions of others. Very useful tool in helping you become more optimistic give you the tools and the science behind why it works and how to do it. One of the coolest things I found in the book was that actually had a couple test in there one to see how optimistic you are and I want to see how Depressed you are within the last week and another one to test for your kidsDepression. The one thing I did not like and the reason I gave it a four star rating rather than a five is because some of the terms a good handful of them or more or even certain times when the author explains certain stuffHe uses very elaborated or bigger terms it’s not considered a light or even use read. However even then they weren’t that hard to grasp just a little harder than it would be for most people. However even then they weren’t that hard to grasp just a little harder then it would be for most people but aside from that someone small problem the book was absolutely fantastic and I recommended to basically anyone.
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MaC
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, no fluff, scientifically proven methods
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2023
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I cannot say enough positive things about this book. In my opinion, most books in the mental health or "self-help" genre all follow the same outline and are filled with puffy catch phrases and overly simplistic (and I would argue- ineffective) ways to change your mental health positively. However, Dr. Seligman approaches how to change your outlook from pessimistic to optimistic from a scientific, tested, and clinical perspective. I know that doesn't sound appealing but hear me out.

Most self-help books just tell you to smile more and give you a bunch of fluff and demand money for it- but Dr. Seligman and his decades of research can prove clinically how his methods work and how his methods for gaining an optimistic mindset can actually improve your quality of life and physical health. His countless experiments, research, teaching fellowships, and partnerships with some of the biggest names in Psychology have resulted in tangible and measurable proof for his theories and methods. No unmeasurable mysticisms or magic- actual evidence.

I have read other books on mental health, but his book actually helped me and isn't just a money grab.

Full Disclosure: Dr. Seligman began his research in the 70's. What scientists were allowed to do for experiments back then is obviously different then today and Dr. Seligman's Pavlovian experiments on dogs and rats would not necessarily be allowed today. I find such experiments deplorable, but don't let that dissuade you from reading this book and from benefiting from the knowledge gained. What's done is done and the information gained has been gained.
13 people found this helpful
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BB
5.0 out of 5 stars A Life Changing Book
Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2020
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This book somehow came into my possession while I was living in Thailand more than a decade ago. I highlighted the heck out of it! Every time I went to an ex-pat bookstore, I looked for more books that Marty Seligman either wrote or referenced. I wound up coming across two others. They were amazing too, but Learned Optimism was (and probably always will be) my favorite.

After I returned home, I read more. Then more. After I’d devoured a sufficient number of books, I entered a PhD program in Positive Psychology, that’s how much I loved it. A couple years ago I attended a conference where Marty spoke. The man is truly amazing. He’s on the cutting edge of research and he’s completely captivating.

All Martin Seligman books are good. This book is amazing! I’ve got a high level of positive affect — and when Marty talked about gigglers and grouches, I definitely related to the giggler label. However, this was an eye-opening read because I learned I wasn’t all that I seemed. Despite being in a constant good mood, I came to realize that I was a bit more pessimistic than I’d guessed. The dimensions and layers are amazing. And I loved reading how Marty went through the processes and came to his conclusions.

I 100% recommend this book!
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Top reviews from other countries

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Alisa
5.0 out of 5 stars Book came in good condition
Reviewed in Mexico on January 5, 2023
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Great book, came in good condition
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Katy Perry
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2023
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I am so lucky to have discovered this book. It has had a profound effect on me. After so many years I know where I am going wrong and more importantly tools to change my way of thinking and beat depression.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars ACC aspiring coach must read
Reviewed in India on August 30, 2023
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Excellent book for coaches for self transformation as well as coachee transformation with flexible optimistic approach. Maximal self has strengths and pitfalls, however this book guides u to overcome walls or pitfalls created by this egoistic self.
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Marco
5.0 out of 5 stars Bellissimo
Reviewed in Italy on July 5, 2023
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Basato sulle scoperte scientifiche dell'autore bellissimo libro che spiega come l'ottimismo può essere "imparato".
Innegabile l'utilità nella vita
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Philipp Schiewe
5.0 out of 5 stars Unglaubliches Buch
Reviewed in Germany on June 26, 2022
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Das Buch müsste eins meiner ersten englischen Bücher gewesen sein und dafür dass mein Englisch damals noch nicht so gut war war es trotzdem sehr einfach zu lesen. Manche Passagen sind schwierig aber mit einem Übersetzer in der Hand sollte die Sprachbarrikade für niemanden ein Problem sein der die 10. Klasse abgeschlossen hat und eine 3 oder besser im Unterricht hatte.

Ich habe damals bestimmt zwei Jahre mit diesem Buch gearbeitet, wurde sehr viel optimistischer und habe es aber letztendlich doch wieder aufgegeben weil mein Problem unüberwindbar schien. Jetzt ein Jahr später habe ich es wieder zur Hand genommen und muss sagen dass ich mich zu sehr auf diesen einen Aspekt fokussiert habe den ich nicht kontrollieren konnte. Das generelle Optimismuslevel hat nichtsdestotrotz zugenommen.

Der Inhalt dieses Buches ist ein regelrechter augenöffner und wenn das heutige Schulsystem nicht mehr so optimal ist, dann wären es solche Dinge die eher in der Schule beigebracht werden sollten. Martin Seligman bringt dem Leser extrem rational, logisch und verständlich nahe, wie die eigene gewohnte Denkweise - der "Explanatory Style" - dafür sorgt sich entweder selbst imaginäre Ketten anzulegen und dadurch sowohl Erfolg als auch psychisches Wohlbefinden moderat bis stark einzuschränken, oder aber sein volles Potential nutzen kann, ein großes Stück glücklicher und erfolgreicher zu werden, gesünder zu werden, sympathischer zu werden und sich regelrecht gegen Depression oder generelle schlechte Laune immunisieren zu lassen.

Ein Vorrezensionist hat die große Theorielastigkeit kritisiert, doch meiner Meinung nach ist genau dieses wiederholende Verständnis der Mechanismen ein entscheidender Punkt um zu verstehen wie jene Gedanken zu entsprechenden mentalen Zuständen führen um es auch unbewusst anwenden zu können. Herr Seligman geht zwar nur im letzten Kapitel auf direkte Verhaltensveränderung ein doch das ist mehr als ausreichend um dann das entsprechende Verständnis anwenden zu können.

Wenn man es wirklich ernst nimmt und jahrelang immer mal wieder mit dem Buch arbeitet, dann gehen alle erläuterten Erkenntnisse so sehr ins Unbewusste dass der praktische Teil beinahe schon unnötig wird. So jedenfalls meine Erfahrung.

Alles in allem kann gesagt werden dass dieses Buch eines der besten war welches ich mir je geholt habe. Klare Kaufempfehlung.
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