“Trust no one but yourself.”
It’s how a lot of people operate in their work and lives.
People often prefer to work on a project themselves because they don’t trust their colleagues. Or, in their personal lives, many opt to stick to the friends and circles they know, assuming anyone new isn’t a trustworthy person.
There’s a word for this attitude—cynicism.
At its essence, cynicism is a mistrust of other people. It’s the belief that others are only interested in themselves and aren’t sincere.
Cynicism is rampant in the workplace and can be a quick way to derail your professional success.
Here we’ll look at why cynicism is so prevalent, its negative impacts, and steps you can take to be less cynical in your life today.
Why So Cynical? The Common Catalysts That Drive This Mindset
Although often unintentional, cynicism is a common attitude amongst professionals, especially during times of uncertainty.
There’s been a major disruption to how we live over the last few years—health crises, contentious politics, and economic scares all stoke fear and uncertainty in many people’s daily lives.
So, it’s easy to become cynical and assume the worst.
Instead of giving people the benefit of the doubt or trying to get to know them, we turn inward and focus on “looking out for number one.”
Recent data from the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer report has some interesting findings about the state of trust around the world:
- Nearly 60% of respondents say their default tendency is to distrust something
- 64% of respondents believe people are incapable of having constructive debates on issues they disagree on
- Almost half of all respondents view media and government as divisive forces in society
- Businesses are the most-trusted institution at 61% of respondents indicating they trust them; NGOs came in at 59%, government at 52% and the media at 50%
These statistics show us that not only are people defaulting to distrust between each other, but they’re also distrustful of the institutions that inform our society.
Cynicism and Its Impacts at Work and In Life
Widespread mistrust creates a negative company culture. In fact, one meta-analysis study found that cynicism predicts a variety of negative work outcomes, including poor performance, burnout, turnover, and cheating.
And it makes sense. If people don’t trust each other, they’re more prone to gossip or backstabbing.
Even if it’s not a full-blown toxic culture, cynicism can make people simply put their heads down and focus on themselves rather than being a good team member.
On a more personal level, cynicism has some seriously negative impacts:
- Lower earnings: A research paper found that people who were cynical about human nature earned less than their non-cynical counterparts.
- Strained relationships: It makes sense that assuming the worst of people doesn’t build strong relationships. If you’re always questioning someone’s motives, it’s hard to establish trust—the foundation of all good relationships.
- Decreased productivity and motivation: Cynics may be less motivated to work hard and less productive in their work because it feels pointless. When you view things through a negative lens—that they’re bound to fail—what is there to work for?
- Missed opportunities: If you’re cynical about new ideas, people, or experiences, you may pass on them rather than giving them a try. This can lead to missed opportunities such as a new friend or an exciting project at work.
Cynicism impacts people on both a personal level and a corporate level. It’s fundamentally about distrusting other people, so it doesn’t stay isolated to just one person.
For this reason, individuals and leaders alike need to care about cynicism and its impacts on the workplace.
4 Strategies to Fight Cynicism and Boost Professional Success
Some may feel that cynicism is ingrained and that it’s part of your core personality. Some people are just more “half glass empty,” right?
Well, that’s not totally the case. While there are personality differences that may account for some people’s cynicism, there are many things that you can do to fight against this negative force.
Here are four strategies that can actively fight back against cynicism to boost your personal and professional life.
1. Limit Your News Consumption
We mentioned earlier that a cause of cynicism today is the never-ending barrage of negative events and news. It’s hard to feel positive about the world in times of uncertainty.
While we don’t advocate shutting off the news completely, it is healthy to limit your consumption. Here are two effective ideas:
- Set a timer: Many phones or apps can help you limit your time by setting a timer for a specific period of time. This helps you get some of the major highlights without dwelling on things for too long.
- Be selective: Instead of reading everything, choose one or two reputable news sources and stick to those. This limits your consumption while ensuring you still get important information.
2. Establish a Gratitude Practice
Gratitude is an antidote to cynicism. Instead of focusing on the negative, an intentional gratitude practice will help you focus on the positive.
We previously wrote an article on the importance of cultivating this practice and 12 simple gratitude practices to try. Here are a few of our favorite options:
- Journal: Try to jot down a few things you’re grateful for each day. When you know you have to write them down, you’ll start to look out for things during the day.
- Volunteer: Connecting with your community to pay it forward helps you be grateful for the positive things you have in life.
- Give a gift: Show your gratitude to someone in your life with something simple like some flowers or their favorite coffee.
3. Prioritize Self-Care
If you notice yourself becoming more cynical, take some time to check in with your personal well-being. It’s hard to think positively and be open-minded if you’re run down physically and mentally.
Get back to the basics of self-care and prioritize your physical and mental well-being:
- Nourish your body: You know what this means—eating well and moving in a way that feels good to you.
- Prioritize sleep: Feeling rested helps with everything.
- Find joy: Cynicism is often born out of the feeling that nothing’s right or good in your life or the world around you. Prioritize joy and happiness by engaging in things you love and surrounding yourself with people you enjoy being with.
4. Surround Yourself With Positive People
Just as cynicism can spread, so does positivity. So, be mindful of who you’re spending time with and how they may be impacting your mood and mindset. Here are a few ways you can infuse some more positivity into your life:
- Find a mentor: Join a mentorship program or ask someone you look up to mentor you. Finding a mentor will make you more successful professionally, but their positive attitude will also impact you.
- Meet in person: Working remotely or on a hybrid schedule can be isolating and impact your mood. Switch up your routine by joining a coworking space where you can interact with other professionals instead of working at home. You can also prioritize meeting with colleagues in person by utilizing on-demand meeting rooms at a coworking space and get the most out of face-to-face communication.
- Join group activities: Shake up your schedule by trying something new, like a workout class or group hobby. This will get you out of your day-to-day life and interacting with some passionate and positive people.
Cynicism is common in the workplace today and, for many, it’s negatively impacting professional success.
But the good news is that cynicism isn’t a permanent state. Try one of these four strategies to kick cynicism out of your life and infuse some more positivity into your day.
If you’re in search of a positive professional workspace that surrounds you with supportive, like-minded professionals, you’ll find it at The Post. Book a tour of The Post today.