Are you an Optimist or a Pessimist
After interacting with hundreds of people over the last few years, I can certainly say that the vast majority are quite pessimistic. These sorts of people cannot see opportunity in any given situation, and I don't know why this is. Others will not believe a person who gives good news, and more will just question "why this", "why that", "what if" and never really reach a conclusion that they made themselves.
Earlier on, in the Keyword Avalanche Forum, someone posted the following;
Just wanted to say 'hi' and introduce myself. I've been studying internet marketing for about 5 years now and although I've learned a lot, I've never put up a website yet!
It's not because I'm lazy(I work full time); it's simply the fact that I've tolerated my "comfort zone" for far too long. You know, instead of ready-aim-fire, I'm like ready-aim, ready-aim, ready-aim…well, u get the idea.
You can see that this person, although outwardly optimistic, is in my opinion inwardly pessismistic and has actually never had the balls to stray outside his comfort zone and really give things a good go. However, he/she has decided that enough is enough and now is the time for action. That's the thinking of an optimist.
I think it was Babe Ruth that said "if you don't swing at em, you won't hit em". Basically stating that if you don't try, you won't get anywhere! Like I have said before in this blog, Rome was not built in a day, but it was built because someone started building it!
So, my question to you is, and if you can answer truthfully, then kudos to you;
Are you an optimist or a pessimist?
For me, I believe that I am 95% an optimist. I try to find the best in any given situation - sometimes it's hard to do so. A recent example would be the "double your way to a million" rash of blogs and posts. I tend to weigh up my ideas and thoughts in terms of "minimize work, maximize income" - the amount of time involved for doubling make it a non-starter for me.
Perhaps it helps that I am able to view things from an angle that few people can. I'm not quite sure how I do this, I guess it is because I am always looking for the easiest way to make something work…
If you can answer my question about whether you are truly an optimist or a pessimist, it would be interesting to read your own thoughts on you. If you want to pingback this message, we can all read your meanderings…
Comment by HCG — September 1, 2006 @ 3:22 pm
I try to be an optimist, I generally succeed in day to day life (re:family, friends, relationships, bad hair days! etc…) but with business and work I am a pessimist.Although not as bad as some.
I will generally give things a go, but if it doesn't go my way almost instantly I am very easy to quit on it.
Although, I don't always have a sinical view of things at the start, I can very quickly be swayed that it is not worth bothering with because other people have said so or the inital results are not what I'd hoped for.
I don't think it's as much being a pessimist as following the crowd.
Like with the competition thread, one person mentioned it sounded complicated and everyone jumped on the bandwagon, not because they don't believe in themselves, and their ability to achieve their goals but because the general consensus was that it couldn't be done.
If people were a little more willing to test the water for themselves rather than wait on their peers to tell them the water's too cold then we would all probably be a little richer, a little happier and a little more individual
x
Comment by Will — September 1, 2006 @ 7:21 pm
From the quote, it would suggest to me that the issue with the forum poster is not about pessimism, but with inertia or procrastination.
Comment by Stu — September 1, 2006 @ 7:21 pm
hmmm, very thought provoking Burt….
I would guess that I'm more pessimist than optimist, but I'm working on it..
My wife calls me an "ideas man", which means I'm pretty much full of crap - lots of great ideas, little follow-through. I was brought up in an extremely financially conservative environment, where you were taught to get a good education, get a good job, pay the mortgage, and die without debt.
My eyes have really been opened in the last six months or so to the opportunities available to people who are prepared to work hard and take the odd risk in the online world. Part of me would say that I'm "waiting for the right opportunity" to take a serious plunge, but that would just be the procrastinator in me. I know it just need to jump in feet first, it's just a bit scary to those of us brought up in abovementioned environment.
An excellent post which has made me confront some unsavory truths about myself though. I need to stop dancing on the shoreline, and jump in head first.
Comment by Tom — September 2, 2006 @ 2:00 pm
HCG - perhaps there is a difference between "jumping on the bandwagon" and just plain old-fashioned agreeing with someone else's point of view?
Comment by Dave J — September 2, 2006 @ 4:03 pm
I don't think I'm either to be honest. Optimism and pessimism - bit too subjective for me. I tend to look at a situation and go from there. "Mardy bum" sometimes (if its a crap situation) and "happy chap" at other times. I tend to try and avoid the crap bits if I can tho'!
Dave J
Comment by HCG — September 4, 2006 @ 12:22 pm
Tom - I can see what you're saying, but in that particular example, it looked like bandwagon jumping.
When people agree without giving their reasons other than "What he said" it's pretty obvious they're being sheep.
x
Comment by Tom — September 4, 2006 @ 1:38 pm
HCG
Have just re-read the competition thread and the only people who really doubted Burt's idea were Stu, followed by myself.
Does that mean I was bandwagon jumping?
Or is it possible I read Burt's idea and thought it was far too complicated then posted three paragraphs to that effect?
I can't see any examples there of anyone being a "sheep".
Tom