The Optomist Quotent

I am currently reading three books. One theme that is interlaced into all three books is the requirement of optimism. The books are as different as can be, one is about an actor with Parkinson's disease, another is about a climber attempting to climb the 13 highest peaks in the world and lastly a research book on what it takes to survive major catastrophes.

The Army's Field Guide to Survival summarizes it best for me;
A person will die in-
3 seconds without HOPE,
3 mins without air,
3 hrs without shelter in the cold,
3 days without water,
3 weeks without food,
3 months without companionship.

Hope and optimism are one in the same. If you don't think you have any chance of an outcome you will not succeed.

One book projects (with some scientific basis) that 87% of success in cancer patient cure rates is based on the patients optimistic outlook on life. Another book speaks about a baseball team and a country who although they don't have the best of records or living conditions, they are considered the happiest fans and citizens. The reason is that they are optimistic in their outlooks whether it means that this year will be the world series for us or that the crops this season will be abundant it is the optimistic that creates happiness.

One book reports that there is now DNA evidence to predict whether you have an natural predisposition towards optimistic or pessimistic. The world was created by both. The optimists like Columbus and the great explorers went out to prove their unusual opinions while the pessimism where the protectors, planners who told them to bring along supplies just in case.

In a business optimists and pessimism's are a required symmetry. The sales team is typically full of optimists and the operations group is much more pragmatic (pessimistic). In the latest economic crisis the optimists have started to turn pessimistic and I have even seen some pessimism's turn much more optimistic. Strange how paradigm changes like this recession can change peoples mind sets so significantly.

Now is the time to bring pragmatic optimism into the world. We need to see the opportunities as they present themselves, but need to be pragmatic in our future expectations. Too many decisions in the recent past were made with such an optimistic outlook that the correction we are experiencing was inevitable.

There is obviously a big place and need for optimism in these times and aligned with pragmatic expectations can make for some great opportunities in these times.
The best is yet to come.

Thanks for making it happen.
Nick