Dynamic Optimism

David Musick (David_Musick@msn.com)
Sat, 16 Nov 96 23:41:21 UT


When I consider the future, I do not passively sit back and believe everything
will turn out alright. I realize that I have great influence over the course
my life takes. I believe most events our out of my control, and I cannot say
with certainty that things will go well for me. But I do have the
determination and am developing the discipline to influence whatever I can to
cause things to work for my benefit.

Dynamic Optimism is about shifting the odds in our favor. It's not about
sitting back passively and believing that things will turn out fine on their
own. It's about taking an active role in reality and influencing whatever we
can to nudge reality to be more the way we want it to be.

Dynamic Optimism is about taking advantage of whatever opportunities present
themselves to us, rather than letting them slip away, untouched.

Dynamic Optimism is about training oneself to make good decisions when faced
with choices. We cannot always control what selection of choices we have to
choose among, but we can learn to consistently choose the best options of
those available to us.

We don't know that things will turn out well for us, but we use our dynamic
optimism to make the best of what we have. We are optimistic that we can
improve our situations, whatever they are. We will *find* and *create* ways
to improve our situations.

Dynamic Optimism is optimism in *ourselves*. We are optimistic that we are
capable of improving things for ourselves. We are dynamic, flexible and
innovative in our approaches to accomplishing our goals, and we are optimistic
in our abilities to achieve our goals consistently.

- David Musick

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