Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
The Optimism Bias summary
A Tour of the Irrationally Positive Brain
21 mins
Brief summary
The Optimism Bias by Tali Sharot delves into how our brains are hardwired to be optimistic, even in the face of adversity. It explores the benefits and drawbacks of this bias, and how to utilize it to achieve success.
Table of Contents
The Optimism Bias
Summary of 8 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 8
The human mind is not rational, but prone to bias.
People like to view themselves as rational beings. In fact, this belief is so central to our self-perception that we even included it in the name of our species: Homo sapiens, the “wise man.” However, as you’ll soon discover, we may have been a bit too optimistic.
Why? The way we perceive reality is simply not rational; often, it’s full of bias. To get an idea of just how biased we are, consider the following questions and then rate yourself relative to the rest of the population: Do you play well with others? Are you a good driver? How honest are you?
So, did you rate yourself in the bottom 25 percent, the top 25 percent or somewhere in between?
If you’re like most people you will have rated yourself above average. Maybe even in the top 25 percentile!
Of course, it’s statistically impossible for this to actually be the case. How can most people be better than the rest? This phenomenon, one of many that shapes our perception of the world, is called superiority bias.
It’s hard to avoid such delusional thoughts about the world around us. We tend to trust our perceptions, and thus don’t realize that the way we see the world is usually misguided.
To demonstrate this point, consider a study conducted by cognitive scientist Petter Johansson. In the experiment, participants were given pairs of photos depicting different women, and were tasked with deciding which of the two they found more attractive.
They were asked later to explain their choices. But this time they were given pictures of the women they had actually rated lower. Seventy-five percent of the time, the participants didn’t even notice the switch, and thus justified a choice they hadn’t actually made.
Even stranger, when asked afterward if they thought they would hypothetically notice such a switch, 84 percent of those that had just been fooled confidently exclaimed that they would easily detect such trickery.
Want to see all full key ideas from The Optimism Bias?
Key ideas in The Optimism Bias
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is The Optimism Bias about?
The Optimism Bias (2011) demonstrates the interesting and entertaining ways in which our rose-tinted glasses color our experience of the world – and why it’s a good thing that they do. Though they won’t enable you to take off those rosy specs, these blinks will at least afford you some insight into why you wear them, and how you can use them to your benefit.
The Optimism Bias Review
The Optimism Bias (2011) by Tali Sharot explores the powerful influence that optimism has on our lives and decision-making. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- Offers fascinating insights into how our brains tend to be biased towards optimism, and how this bias impacts our perceptions and actions.
- Provides practical strategies for harnessing the power of optimism to overcome challenges and achieve personal growth.
- Backed by scientific research and enriched with real-life examples, the book presents a thought-provoking exploration of the psychology behind optimism.
Best quote from The Optimism Bias
We cant all do better than the average Joe. Maybe not, but deep down we believe we can.
—Tali Sharot
Who should read The Optimism Bias?
- Proponents of psychology
- Those curious to know why their personal plans never seem to work out
- People who believe that humans behave rationally
Categories with The Optimism Bias
Book summaries like The Optimism Bias
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
33 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
The Optimism Bias FAQs
What is the main message of The Optimism Bias?
The main message of The Optimism Bias is how our brains are wired for optimism to navigate life's challenges.
How long does it take to read The Optimism Bias?
The reading time for The Optimism Bias varies, but the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Optimism Bias a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Optimism Bias is worth reading as it explains the optimistic nature of our minds and how it affects our decisions.
Who is the author of The Optimism Bias?
The author of The Optimism Bias is Tali Sharot.
What to read after The Optimism Bias?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Optimism Bias, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Positivity by Barbara L. Fredrickson
- Happiness by Matthieu Ricard
- Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson
- Buddha’s Brain by Rick Hanson
- Never Enough by Judith Grisel
- How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes
- What We Say Matters by Judith Hanson Lasater and Ike K. Lasater
- Savor by Thich Nhat Hanh and Lilian Cheung
- The Worry-Free Mind by Carol Kershaw and Bill Wade
- On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
Featured Titles
- Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come
- Sperm Wars
- Stages of Faith
- Teaching with Love and Logic
- The Girls Who Went Away
- The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology, Volume 1
- The Making and Breaking of Affectional Bonds
- The Neuroscience of Intelligence
- The New Strong-Willed Child
- Visible Learning for Teachers