Whatever happens, whether you succeed or you fail, people with high expectations always feel better, because how we feel — when we get dumped or we win employee of the month — depends on how we interpret that event.

Source: "The Optimism Bias." TED2012. Feb. 2012. Conference Presentation. Additional Information: According to this quote by Tali Sharot, cognitive neuroscientist and author of Optimism Bias: A Tour of the Irrationally Positive Brain, optimistic people are happier than pessimistic people whether they fail or succeed, because optimistic people will interpret whatever happens in a positive way. This idea contradicts the popular idea that the key to happiness is low expectations. In the TED Talk this quote is taken from, Sharot explains the research behind the "optimism bias" phenomena. Watch the full TED Talk here: Tali Sharot - The Optimism Bias

“The Optimism Bias.” TED2012. Feb. 2012. Conference Presentation.