Tag Archives: Optimism

#13: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity…”

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“…An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

– Winston Churchill

Call it attitude, perspective, a paradigm, or a mental model: how we look at things affects everything. The lenses we wear as we look at life truly color what we see.

I tend to lean heavily in the direction of optimism and possibilities. I seek moments of learning when things do not go the way I desire.

Most people like to be around others with a can-do, find-a-way perspective.

Exercise:

What strategies can you develop to see good things in life as the norm, and the not-so-good things as temporary barriers to overcome?

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“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high…”

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“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.”

– Michelangelo

Image from Unsplash by AJ Yorio

I guess spending five years painting the ceiling of the Sistine chapel is an example of reaching consistently for new heights. In fact, most of Michelangelo’s works are examples of extraordinary achievements.

  • What have been your proudest moments in life?
  • Where have you dared to achieve greatness, or a higher purpose?
  • How did stretching or reaching for these seemingly out of reach goals help you grow?

Even if we fail on attempt after attempt, we can try again.

Exercise

Where in your professional or personal life are you playing too small and too safe?

What goals in your life are worth greater risk, even the risk of failure?

#3: “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.”

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– General Colin Powell

Would you describe yourself as an optimist? Optimistic people:

  • See the possibilities in things
  • Have a “can do” attitude
  • See lemonade whenever they see lemons
  • Drink from the half-full glass
  • Look for the good in others and situations
  • Find the pony in the room full of dung
  • Attract other people and opportunities

Optimism helps us to adjust quickly to adversity; after setbacks, we can get back up faster. By making optimism a habit, you can find a positive aspect in every situation. There’s always something new to learn.

Exercise:

Who are the most optimistic people in your world? How can you spend more time with them and be more like them?

Who are the most pessimistic people in your world? How can you reduce their impact, or even remove them from your life?

Quotes are posted on The Quotable Coach a week after being sent out by email. To get the latest quotes straight to your inbox, pop your email address in the sidebar to the right.