How to Shift From Cynicism to Grounded Hope

Key points

Research shows most people underestimate others’ empathy, fueling unnecessary cynicism.

Sharing accurate social data can correct distorted assumptions and increase trust.

Leaders who model hopeful skepticism foster stronger collaboration and morale.

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. This research shows us that