Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life

The ABC (adversity, belief, consequence) model is a framework developed by Seligman to explain how people’s beliefs about setbacks shape their emotional and behavioral responses. It breaks experiences into three parts: adversity (the event), belief (the interpretation of the event), and consequence (the resulting feelings and actions). For instance, after not being invited to a party (adversity), one person might think, “Nobody likes me,” and feel depressed (consequence), while another might think, “They forgot this time,” and simply move on.

Disputation is the process of challenging pessimistic or negative beliefs by testing their accuracy and reframing them. Seligman outlines four main strategies: presenting evidence against the belief, offering alternative explanations, considering the broader implications of the thought, and assessing its usefulness. This method helps weaken pessimism and cultivate an optimistic explanatory style.

Explanatory style refers to the habitual way that individuals explain the causes of good and bad events in their lives. According to Seligman, this style is defined by three dimensions—permanence, pervasiveness, and personalization—that shape whether someone leans optimistic or pessimistic. It plays a central role in determining resilience, motivation, and susceptibility to depression. One of the key takeaways is thus to