How Much of an Optimist Are You?

Increased health & happiness & decreased stress are top benefits of optimism.

Updated October 25, 2016

1. You get a speeding ticket and you forget your wallet at home. You think:

Ariel Skelley/Getty Images

2. You find a dollar on the street. You think:

Eleonora Grasso Photography/Getty Images

3. You get an "A" on an exam. You think:

Katrina Wittkamp/Getty Images

4. You win a trivia contest. You think:

Roy Mehta/Getty Images

5. You get hired for a job, even though the other applicants were extremely qualified. You think:

BraunS/iStock

6. You're trying to figure out a new computer program, and after hours of work, it still eludes you. You think:

JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images

7. You start a new workout program, and are really sore the next day. You think:

Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock

8. You find you don't have the money to pay all your bills at the end of the month. You think:

PeopleImages.com/Getty Images

9. Your child is the "Student of the Month". You think:

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

10. You've planned a party in the park, but it rains on party day. You think:

Matthias Ritzmann/Getty Images

11. Someone flips you off in traffic. You think:

Hola Images/Getty Images

12. A stranger on the street complements your outfit. You think:

Leonardo Patrizi/Getty Images

13. You meet an important business contact at a party. You think:

Chris Garrett/Getty Images

14. You miss a flight and have to wait for another one. You think:

Blend Images/John Lund/Getty Images

15. You've been working hard at dieting, and you lose 10 pounds. You think:

Dave & Les Jacobs/Getty Images

How Much of an Optimist Are You?

You got: Yay, You're An Optimist!

I got Yay, You're An Optimist!. How Much of an Optimist Are You?
Andy Ryan/ Getty Images

 You may have thought you were an optimist before taking this quiz, and perhaps felt optimistic because so many of the answers sounded positive.  The part of this quiz that confuses many people is the fact that many of the questions contain two answers that sound positive; the difference is why.  

Optimists tend to take credit for what goes right in their lives, ascribing the reasons to more permanent aspects of their personality, while they may find extenuating circumstances to share some of the blame when things go wrong.  While it's important to be aware of your mistakes so that you can correct them next time, it really helps to give yourself credit when credit is due, and to keep from beating yourself up when things go wrong--you seem to have a handle on these things!

Below are more resources on optimism and pessimism.

THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis or treatment.

How Much of an Optimist Are You?

You got: You're Half-Full, Half-Empty

I got You're Half-Full, Half-Empty. How Much of an Optimist Are You?
Yagi Studio/Getty Images

You seem to be more optimistic than some, but not as much as others; you're doing pretty well already, but you could benefit from a little more information and effort toward optimism.  The part of this quiz that confuses many people is the fact that many of the questions contain two answers that sound positive; the difference is why.  

Optimists tend to take credit for what goes right in their lives, ascribing the reasons to more permanent aspects of their personality, while they may find extenuating circumstances to share some of the blame when things go wrong.  While it's important to be aware of your mistakes so that you can correct them next time, it really helps to give yourself credit when credit is due, and to keep from beating yourself up when things go wrong--you seem to have a handle on these things!

Below are more resources on optimism and pessimism, and they should be helpful for you.

THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis or treatment.

How Much of an Optimist Are You?

You got: You Could Benefit From A Little More Optimism

I got You Could Benefit From A Little More Optimism. How Much of an Optimist Are You?
Cultura/Liam Norris/ Getty Images

You seem to be less optimistic that you could be, and probably could benefit from a little more information and effort toward optimism.  The part of this quiz that confuses many people is the fact that many of the questions contain two answers that sound positive; the difference is why.  

Optimists tend to take credit for what goes right in their lives, ascribing the reasons to more permanent aspects of their personality, while they may find extenuating circumstances to share some of the blame when things go wrong.  While it's important to be aware of your mistakes so that you can correct them next time, it really helps to give yourself credit when credit is due, and to keep from beating yourself up when things go wrong--you seem to have a handle on these things!

Below are more resources on optimism and pessimism, and they should be quite helpful for you.

THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis or treatment.