Pessimistically Optimistic

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill

I’m a believer in the power of positive thinking. In my consulting and coaching practice I encourage clients to focus on what they are doing well, either as an organization or individual. Emphasizing what is already working, or finding more opportunities to use one’s strengths, can be a self-fulfilling prophecy—enterprises recapture lost energy and persons are more productive and successful. Having a positive approach or attitude isn’t the same as blind optimism. We may also have experience with unfettered hopes and dreams that lead to disaster if they are never tempered with a dose of reality.

When I am faced with a new idea or opportunity my natural tendency is to be more skeptical. I prefer to analyze and refine before offering my commitment. My more optimistic colleagues or clients may think all I’m doing is “throwing cold water” on their plan, when in fact I am simply identifying obstacles and assessing the best path to take if the idea is to become reality. If no one acknowledges potential challenges to a new project launch, there is a greater likelihood that mistakes will be made along the way or the entire plan could fail.

If you are a regular reader of this blog and my E-Newsletter you know that I have been pretty stressed these past couple of months. I have written about the struggles in my business and how I am personally dealing with the challenges. My approach has been characterized by accepting the current economic difficulties facing my clients and carefully assessing where I should change my strategies. A more optimistic person might have ignored the realities and simply expected things to get better. I’m trying to acknowledge the uncertainties while developing products and services that could thrive in this new environment.

Without some degree of pessimism it is hard to think critically about what is happening. However you also can’t identify new opportunities if you lack any degree of optimism about the future. By recognizing how hard it might be to pursue business as usual I am finding the courage to consider other possibilities. If I simply glossed over the harsh realities there would be no incentive to change course.

I discovered this week that my pessimistic optimism has a name—psychologists call it “defensive pessimism.” According to their research this approach prompts me to take action to avoid potential problems and work harder to reach my goals. In spite of my recent efforts I know there is more to be done. The clouds ahead of me don’t look silver lined at the moment and perhaps that is a good thing. But I also don’t want to forget about the bright sun waiting to shine again even though it is currently hidden from view.