Optimism is extremely powerful. The most successful people in entrepreneurship I know have been so optimistic to a point of delusion.
As cliche as it sounds, it’s hard to deliver results when you don’t believe in yourself. And if you don’t believe in yourself, it’s really easy to give up at the first sign of trouble.
When I was volunteering for the Andrew Yang presidential campaign in February of 2020, I remember when Andrew Yang was giving a speech in Iowa about his progression from being a mere “nobody” to fourth in national polling. He talked in detail about the difficulties of running a campaign as someone without any name recognition; the thing that stuck in my memory was the look of certainty and optimism in his face when he told us that we could build a better way of life for ourselves. Andrew’s optimism for the future left me in awe. I left the rally believing, “a better world is possible.”
One of the biggest things I’ve realized that is prevelant in entrepreneurship and even politics is maintaining morale. It’s almost impossible to start a company or a political campaign without some form of capital. It’s even harder when you don’t have an optimistic view of yourself or the future. Unfortunately, in today’s age of uncertainty — COVID-19, economic depression, and political turmoil — it’s really easy to be pessimistic about the road ahead.
However, I truly believe that having some sense of optimism — almost to a point of delusion — will help guide us toward a better future. It’s because the most successful entrepreneurs, innovators, and politicians I know have been right about the future at least one time when everyone else thought they were wrong.
And I’m not saying optimism is always perfect. Optimism can also blind us. It can lead us toward a path of doom and destruction if we don’t have that balance of optimsism with some pessimism. This is where seeking mentors, advice, and criticism helps. I wouldn’t be here today without my teachers, parents, mentors, and friends. That’s why I believe that seeking crticism — no matter how cynical it may be — is worth it because it’s what separates blind optimism from real optimism.
Finally, from my experiences, real optimism is this feeling inside all of us that insists — despite all the evidence, odds, and data — that a better world is ahead.
