Optimists Build, Pessimists Complain

Optimism is revealed through action. Building something brand-new and risky reveals more optimism than merely saying “I am optimistic.” Pessimists, on the other hand, are complainers: “Why is this like this, why is this like that? Maybe I’m doomed for life, and there’s nothing I can do,” say the pessimists.

The act of building and creating can start small. If you notice a repetitive and dreadful task you keep doing on your computer, writing a script to automate it is an act of building; if you notice the eventual demise of this earth because of fossil fuel usage, building electric cars that delight customers is an act of building. Pessimists see problems as something to complain about, optimists see problems within their circle of competence as an opportunity.

October 24, 2021