Simon Sinek’s quote:
“The primary ingredient for progress is optimism. The unwavering belief that something can be better drives the human race forward.”
has made me change the way I view being optimistic. My wonderful wife reminds that not everyone appreciates my constant pursuit of the “better way” and that I often come across as a bit of a delusional optimist. As a result I don’t mind joking around and calling myself a delusional optimist because to many people my optimism may appear unrealistic.
But when I accept Sinek’s assertion that optimism is fundamental to progress then perhaps I am not delusional I am simply progressive. Progress does require that we push the boundaries of reality so being unrealistic is actually a necessity.
Fortunately, I am not alone in this type of thinking. George Bernard Shaw wrote:
“a reasonable man adapts himself to the conditions that surround him. The unreasonable man adapts conditions to himself…therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
