Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did the book’s mix of personal anecdotes, scientific studies, and cultural analysis affect your engagement with the material?

2. If you’ve read Seligman’s Authentic Happiness, how does Learned Optimism compare in terms of tone, scope, and practical advice?

3. Were there any claims or examples that felt dated or less convincing given today’s context?

Encourage readers to reflect on how the book relates to their own life or work and how its lessons could help them.

1. If you are a parent, teacher, or mentor, how do you see your explanatory style shaping the outlook of children or students?

2. When you reflect on cultural or religious traditions that you are part of, do you see them as leaning toward optimism or pessimism?

3. How has your explanatory style changed over time, from childhood to adulthood, and what factors most shaped that evolution?

4. What role do you think gender or generational differences play in shaping explanatory style, based on your own observations?