Human brain is hardwired to hope !

Why we are born to expect more good things to happen rather than bad things, and why we need this mentality to survive.

What is the likelihood of being promoted instead of losing a job? Winning the lottery instead of being pick pocketed? It is hard to tell what the actual stats are for these statements, but your brain will subconsciously tell you that the positive events are more likely going to happen.


Research has shown that we live our lives under the influence of a lot of bias – one of them being the optimism bias. It explains that we are inclined to underestimate the chances of bad happenings, and overestimate the chances of good happenings. We don’t really expect getting divorced, becoming chronically ill or being involved in an accident, yet we have high hopes for a happy family, buying a nice home or living a long life.

Our thought process is important in understanding our vulnerability to mental illnesses and stress for example: those who lack the optimistic bent of mind are more likely to suffer from depression, even though they probably have a more realistic view on life.


Now that we know most people are happier than they should realistically be, what could possibly be so bad about having a hopeful outlook to the future? Possible consequences include skipping regular health check-ups, spending more money than you planned to or not buying holiday insurance. However, to make progress and try new things out without dwelling on the past, we need the ability to imagine a better future.


Not only is our outlook to the future cheerful, but also the way we view our past. A study has found that people were only up to 63% consistent in remembering the 9/11 attacks, when recalling the event 11 months after it had happened. Scientists have started to find evidence that this optimism bias may be hardwired in our brain through evolution – by slowly letting go of tragic memories, our brain automatically protects itself from trauma and negative emotional responses.

Even if some of our thoughts may only be an overly positive illusion, similarly to the placebo effect, your mind will react to what you make it believe. Optimists have been found to live longer, be healthier and tend to earn more. So stick to your happy-go-lucky attitude, while an occasional visit to the doctors or planning out your budget, just in case, can add to a realistic balance.