Sarah Jaquette Ray recalls the day she asked her students to envision a positive future 10–15 years ahead—one in which their hopes for solving global problems had been realized. The goal was to activate a different part of their brain, shifting them from fear to aspiration. She expected the exercise to be cathartic, even utopian.

Oops. Silence. When students finally spoke, they admitted they couldn’t picture a positive future. Every scenario they imagined was dystopian.

She realized she was confronting a deeper psychological issue—one that extends beyond climate change. The emotions triggered by massive challenges can themselves become barriers to solving those challenges. A colleague suggested she turn this crisis of despair into research, exploring how our emotional responses shape our ability to tackle big problems.

Through her work, she’s learned that framing climate change as an individual responsibility often leads to burnout and feelings of helplessness. Similarly, using fear as a motivator can backfire, reinforcing powerlessness rather than inspiring action. Instead, recognizing one’s role within a collective effort can ease pressure and sustain engagement. Emphasizing the joys and benefits of environmental action is often far more effective than focusing on sacrifice.

She also encourages her students to adopt a both/and mindset. Recognizing that emotions like grief and hope can coexist fosters resilience and strengthens climate action.

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Related Article: On Climate Emotion: Interview with Sarah Jacquette Ray