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Oh, This Is Why Your Co-worker Always Points Out Everything That Could Go Wrong

Updated 6/19/2020
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Did you know that there's a science behind positivity? AsapSCIENCE explains in this video that people are predisposed to be optimists or pessimists.

So many people think of optimism and happiness as though it’s something you can work on and decide to have. Think about it: How many times in your life have you been told to “Look on the bright side?” But what if your outlook on life wasn’t necessarily a conscious decision at all, and actually was written into your genetic code?

In the video below, AsapSCIENCE says that you’re genetically predisposed to think of the glass as either half-full or half-empty. Even more, they explain how most people are hardwired to lean toward optimism, in a way that affects both how you go about your day-to-day and how you imagine your future.

Knowing this might not only give you better insight into your own attitude at the office, but into other people's as well. If your co-worker always points out the worst-case scenario, perhaps he isn’t trying to undermine you, but instead predisposed to thinking that way. Same goes for a colleague who always glosses over potential issues.

The more you know about the folks you work with every day, the easier it’ll be to collaborate with them.


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Caroline Liu is a freelance writer, graphic designer, and computer programmer studying at Wesleyan University. She is pursuing majors in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Computer Science in order to bridge her passions for tech, design, and social justice. Learn more about Caroline on her website or follow her on Twitter.
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