My whole life I have been accused of being too optimistic. I have always perceived this to be a compliment whether it is meant as one or not. The world has enough pessimism. Pragmatism does have its place, especially when it comes to financial matters, however, it shouldn’t be a primary mode of being. All our great leaders have been idealists and/or romantics. Optimists are happier people. They tend to get more done and are more innovative. Optimists see unlimited possibilities and usually create the future of whatever field they inhabit. They see things others don’t see and view the world as full of opportunity.
Optimists are fun to be around. They tend to generate positive energy. It is common for them to believe in the potential of their friends and colleagues often more than those people do for themselves. They are more likely to appreciate the successes of their peers because that is what they expect. You can usually count on their loyalty if you don’t try to judge them too harshly or feel it is your job to continually ground them in reality (which they only ever see as holding them back). Optimists only ever want good things for you and for themselves. They appreciate that life is short, and time is a precious commodity.
The fact is that it is easier to be an optimist. There are still tough times and challenges, but they rarely seem insurmountable. Positive energy is hard to keep down forever. While failure may be inevitable it doesn’t have to define you or be your final result. There is always tomorrow until there is not….and at that point, it won’t matter anyway. I realize that not everyone is hardwired to be an optimist, but they can still choose to be more optimistic in their lives and work. To a large degree, attitude and temperament are a choice. If you find yourself struggling with the idea of being hopeful and positive, find someone else who is and spend some time with them. You’ll find it hard not to catch some of their vibe and energy. Life tends to live up to our expectations…
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