When in my 20s, I equated hope with "sunny-side-of-the-street" wishful thinking-what we now call " toxic positivity." I was wrong. I live, work, and lead these days with a new kind of grounded hope. Many thoughtful, intelligent people today are sliding toward cynicism. But recent research shows something surprising about the nature of hope in the face of cynicism. I want to share research conducted on cynical college students-and how that research shifted the outlook even of the chief researcher.
Generation X prides itself on never being surprised, which has generally served us well. Keeping our expectations low and our cynicism-level high has allowed Gen X to remain agile throughout numerous economic and political upheavals. But what if the attitudes that protect us from life's difficulties are also holding us back from our goals? Specifically, many in Gen X may find that the cynicism we have proudly used as armor throughout our lives may be getting in the way of retirement.