The cynic and pessimist in you will never accomplish anything worthwhile…
Optimism—even if considered naive, irrational, or foolhardy by others—is essential to all human progress.
2
Hopes and dreams are so easily crushed by fear, self-doubt, and self-consciousness—so easily crushed by trusting the cynics, critics, and naysayers. But dreams really can, and really do, come true. Never let anybody tell you different.
3
Large or small, what matters is that your dreams are your dreams—dreams that flow naturally from your core values and from your unique endowment of blessings and burdens—not from the expectations of others.
4
An authentic dream will make you as you make it. It will teach you, give you courage, confidence, and conviction, and reveal talents and virtues you did not know you possessed.
5
Wealth, fame, and power are not dreams. They are ambitions.
6
An authentic dream brings joy not just to you, but also to others.
7
An authentic dream fulfilled scores a victory not just for you, but for all humanity.
8
One of the greatest joys in life it to create something good, true, and beautiful that would not exist without you.
8
At the risk of being declared naïve or foolhardy, place your bets on the optimist in you, in that “crazy” person who refuses to accept NO for an answer when they know the answer is YES.
9
Beware of anyone who makes a virtue of the word “can’t”—yourself included.
All the above are excerpts from Frank’s book:
“Why are You Here?”
It is exasperating that cynicism and pessimism have become so fashionable today. It’s a loser’s creed. Nobody ever won a battle by declaring it unwinnable before it even began. Nobody ever accomplished anything by deciding that it was impossible and hopeless right from the start.
It does, I suppose, serve one practical purpose — it enables those who never contribute or achieve anything to feel better about themselves by framing those who do struggle to contribute and achieve as being merely naïve.
Thanks so much adding your most deeply considered thoughts, old friend. No untruths detected. The existence of people like you gives me hope that all is not lost.🤜🤛✌
You’re such a jerk Frank. Please delete ASAP in the name of toxic positivity.
I hope you see that it’s not a matter of toxic positivity, but about uncommon wisdom and courage.
THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!! 👌👌👌✨🌹
Lovely words + All CAPS + 3 exclamation points + 3 OKs + twinkling stars + red rose from dear person Ana = awesome way to start my day!!! 🌻🙏
🤗
I think there is a bit of the optimist in us all … else how could we keep on keeping on, keep on living? I have days when the pessimist takes the reins, but then I remind myself that if I truly thought all was lost, why would I bother to keep doing what I do? So, the optimist may lay low some days, but he’s always in there, just sometimes taking a breather. Thanks for the reminder, Frank!
Thanks a bunch for sharing and for keeping the faith, Jill.