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The Hope Circuit

A Psychologist's Journey from Helplessness to Optimism
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The Hope Circuit

By: Martin Seligman
Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
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About this listen

 One of the most important psychologists alive today tells the story of the transformation of modern psychology through the lens of his own career and change of heart.

Martin E. P. Seligman is one of the most decorated and popular psychologists of his generation. When he first encountered the discipline in the 1960s, it was devoted to eliminating misery: the science of how past trauma creates present symptoms. Today, thanks in large part to Seligman's own work pioneering the Positive Psychology movement, it is ever more focused on the bright side; gratitude, resilience, and hope.

In this his memoir, Seligman recounts how he learned to study optimism; including a life-changing conversation with his five-year-old daughter. In wise, eloquent prose, Seligman tells the human stories behind some of his major findings. He recounts developing CAVE, an analytical tool that predicts election outcomes (with shocking accuracy) based on the language used in campaign speeches, and the canonical studies that birthed the theory of learned helplessness - which he now reveals was incorrect. And he writes at length for the first time about his own battles with depression at a young age.

All the while, Seligman works out his theory of psychology, making a compelling and deeply personal case for the importance of virtues like hope, anticipation, gratitude, and wisdom for our mental health. You will walk away from this book not just educated but deeply enriched.

Critic reviews

Here is a major thinker who sees deeply into human nature and tells a good story. In The Hope Circuit, Marty Seligman displays both these gifts. This book is his best writing and thinking yet.
Martin Seligman is simply the most important and influential psychologist of the last 30 years. This stunning memoir will tell you why, and reading it will change your life for the better.
For half a century Martin Seligman has enlightened and inspired students of the human mind with his arresting findings and his visionary insights. He has been unafraid to plumb the dark recesses of the psyche, but just as bold in illuminating our better angels. This book combines a history of psychology by a man who shaped it, an explanation of powerful ideas about mental life, and a delightfully candid and reflective memoir.
Martin Seligman is renowned for his contribution to the field of positive psychology - and in this thought-provoking and surprisingly candid memoir, he explains how hard-won his wisdom has been.
Dr. Seligman learned how to be optimistic, and ... leaning on many of the ideas he explores in his book The Hope Circuit ... you can, too.
The positive psychology movement is a beacon of hope in our contemporary culture. Its founder, Martin Seligman, is one of today's most influential psychologists. In this book, he tells his remarkable journey - from studying failure to promoting human flourishing. It is a fascinating story.
This warm, lively, beautifully written book tells the stories behind some of the grand ideas and developments that have reshaped psychology - as well as the struggles, missteps, conflicts, and misunderstandings that nearly derailed them. Through it all emerges the author's infectious excitement about exploring the human mind and his roaming quest for how to make life better for the mass of humanity.
Martin Seligman is an intellectual giant, and readers will look to his memoir The Hope Circuit for secrets to his phenomenal impact as a scholar. What they will find is a deeply human story of his own struggles, hopes and ideas, told in an inspiring way. The Hope Circuit is more than an autobiography; it is a handbook for each of us to build a life dedicated to human flourishing.
One of our most important psychologists alive takes us on a surprising personal journey through his own highs and lows, twist and turns, overcoming tremendous obstacles to discover some of the most groundbreaking and iconic concepts in psychology. For a time his concept of 'learned helplessness' dominated the field as we looked to undo the past and now has us looking forward with positive psychology to grow our resilience , gratitude and hope. If you have an interest in the human condition, you will love this book.
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