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Martin Seligman Quotes

Psychologist

Martin Seligman is a renowned psychologist born on August 12, 1942. He has made significant contributions to the field of positive psychology, often regarded as one of the pioneers in the discipline.

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All People Psychology Helplessness Ifs Optimism Positive Psychology Wells Believe Causes Produce

Famous Martin Seligman Quotes

“Positive, optimistic sales people sell more than pessimistic sales people.”

People Sells Optimistic Being Positive Pessimistic Positive Optimistic Sales People

Author:Martin Seligman

“Ten years ago, when I was on an airplane and I introduced myself to my seatmate, and told them [I was a psychologist], they'd move away from me. ... And now when I tell people what I do, they move toward me.”

People Years Inspiration Moving Motivation Ten Years Ago Airplane Psychologist

Author:Martin Seligman

“Optimism is a tool with a certain clear set of benefits: it fights depression, it promotes achievement and produces better health.”

Certain Fighting Clear Produce Achievement Benefits Tools Optimism

Author:Martin Seligman

“On the relationship side, if you teach people to respond actively and constructively when someone they care about has a victory, it increases love and friendship and decreases the probability of depression.”

People Ifs Care Sides Teach Victory Increase Probability Decrease Love And Friendship

Author:Martin Seligman

“Life inflicts the same setbacks and tragedies on the optimist as on the pessimist, but the optimist weathers them better.”

Tragedy Weather Optimist Pessimist Setback

Book:Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life

Source: Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life

“Well-being cannot exist just in your own head. Well-being is a combination of feeling good as well as actually having meaning, good relationships and accomplishment.”

Wells Feelings Feel Good Well Being Combination Accomplishment Good Relationship

Book:Flourish

Source: Flourish

“Habits of pessimism lead to depression, wither achievement, and undermine physical health. The good news is that pessimism can be unlearned, and that with its removal depression, underachievement, and poor health can be alleviated.”

Poor Habit Depression Achievement News Pessimism Good News Removal Physical Health Poor Health

Book:What You Can Change... and What You Can't

Source: What You Can Change... and What You Can't

“The good life consists in deriving happiness by using your signature strengths every day in the main realms of living. The meaningful life adds one more component: using these same strengths to forward knowledge, power, or goodness. A life that does this is pregnant with meaning, and if God comes at the end, such a life is sacred.”

Ifs Doe Ends Life Is Goodness Sacred Add Meaningful Realms Good Life Pregnant Components Meaningful Life Signatures Power Of Knowledge

Book:Authentic Happiness

Source: Authentic Happiness

“When it comes to our health, there are essentially four things under our control: the decision not to smoke, a commitment to exercise, the quality of our diet, and our level of optimism. And optimism is at least as beneficial as the others.”

Decision Levels Quality Four Exercise Commitment Optimism Smoke Diets Beneficial

Author:Martin Seligman

“When we take time to notice the things that go right - it means we're getting a lot of little rewards throughout the day.”

Mean Littles Rewards Take Time

Author:Martin Seligman

“People who believe they cause good things tend to like themselves better than people who believe good things come from other people or circumstances.”

People Believe Causes Circumstances Good Things Helplessness

Book:Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life

Source: Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life

“I'm trying to broaden the scope of positive psychology well beyond the smiley face. Happiness is just one-fifth of what human beings choose to do.”

Trying Humans Wells Faces Human Beings Psychology Just One Fifth Scope Positive Psychology Smiley Smiley Face

Author:Martin Seligman

“Reaching beyond where you are is really important.”

Important Reaching Where You Are Positive Psychology Reaching Beyond

Author:Martin Seligman

“If we just wanted positive emotions, our species would have died out a long time ago.”

Ifs Long Wanted Emotion Long Time Died Species Long Time Ago Positive Emotions

Author:Martin Seligman

“One of the things psychologists used to say was that if you are depressed, anxious or angry, you couldn't be happy. Those were at opposite ends of a continuum. I believe that you can be suffering or have a mental illness and be happy - just not in the same moment that you're sad.”

Ifs Believe Ends Moments Used Suffering I Believe Opposites Angry Illness Mental Illness Anxious Psychologist Continuum

Author:Martin Seligman

About the Author

Born: August 12, 1942
Known for: Psychologist
Quotes: 65

Books & Sources

Authentic HappinessRelated source material

Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your LifeRelated source material

FlourishRelated source material

Learned OptimismRelated source material

What You Can Change... and What You Can'tRelated source material

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