Optimism is a Strategy

"Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so. If you assume there is no hope, you guarantee there will be no hope. If you assume there is an instinct for freedom, there are opportunities to change things, there’s a chance you may contribute to making a better world. The choice is yours." - Noam Chomsky

My coach, Tony Mayo, shared this quote that made an impression on me when I read it but has become even more poigniant as our current economic catastrophe unfolds. Albeit easy to slip into Pollyanna territory, as is my typical wont, there is some validity to keeping a positive perspective as a guiding light through the pall of this financial chaos. I see it not as turning a blind eye toward reality but simply coloring in one's perspective, remaining focused and as a result getting through. We could choose to waste our time wringing our hands offering no effort to improve our results. However, with a collective optimistic focus, we spend our limited bandwidth creating a better future.