How does Martin Seligman say to stop negative thoughts?

Martin Seligman says pessimism comes naturally because humans descend from Ice Age ancestors who survived by expecting the worst, but optimism can be learned. His first technique is to catch your most catastrophic self-talk and argue against it with realistic evidence, as if a rival had said it. His second, putting it in perspective, has you picture the worst, best and most likely outcome of a worrying event, then prepare for the likely one.

• Seligman describes waking at 4 a.m. before the Modern Wisdom interview and disputing the thought that at 84 he was over the hill.
• In Seligman's example, a Friday email asking you to see your manager at four o'clock most likely means a budget cut request, not a firing.
• Seligman says people trained to dispute their thoughts are more optimistic, less depressed and less anxious six months later.

▸In their words

“I am still a pessimist, but I've learned optimism.” Martin Seligman · at 20:12 — open in the transcript →

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Modern Wisdom (2026-10-24). Read the whole episode summary →

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