21 Great Quotes on Optimism

Optimism. Some call it na?ve, wishful thinking—fancily hoping for pie in the sky. Others say it’s a vain hope and a way of denying reality. Some folks would call it, well, being delusional.

I say optimism is more than hope; it is more than wishful thinking. And, it is not an act of denial or a state of delusion.

Optimism is a confident expectation of good to come that acknowledges the challenges of reality without diminishing hope or causing loss of confidence.

Optimism is the belief now—manifested in an active expectancy—that all challenges will be overcome in the future to achieve desired outcomes.

We need optimism. We need optimists.

As Zig Ziglar said, "Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will."

Here are twenty-one great quotes about optimism to inspire, motivate, and challenge you.

1. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” —Helen Keller

2. “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” —Winston Churchill

3. “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” —Colin Powell

4. “I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter.” —Walt Disney

5. “Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power.” —William James

6. “The difference between an optimist and a pessimist? An optimist laughs to forget, but a pessimist forgets to laugh.” —Tom Bodett

7. “Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.” —Nicholas M. Butler

8. “Optimistic people generally feel that good things will last a long time and will have a beneficial effect on everything they do. And they think that bad things are isolated: They won't last too long and won't affect other parts of life.” —Martin Seligman

9. “When you wake up every day, you have two choices. You can either be positive or negative; an optimist or a pessimist. I choose to be an optimist. It's all a matter of perspective.” —Harvey Mackay

10. “It's more in my nature to be optimistic, I think. I'm one of those people who gets up on the right side of the bed in the morning.” —Dick Van Dyke

11. “I'm continually inspired by nature, and the rainbow is one of nature's greatest optical phenomenons. The sighting of a rainbow never fails to bring a smile to people's faces. They signify optimism and positivity: with them comes the sunshine after the rain.” —Matthew Williamson

12. “I'm a really, really optimistic and really, really positive person. My main thing is, 'Enjoy life. Celebrate life.'” —Luke Bryan

13. “I'm a big cockeyed optimist. I try to accentuate the positive as opposed to the negative.” —Betty White

14. “My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world.” —Jack Layton

15. “It's a wonderful thing to be optimistic. It keeps you healthy and it keeps you resilient.” —Daniel Kahneman

16. “I think in life, you have a choice. You can either be optimistic or pessimistic, and I go for the optimism.” —Jon Anderson

17. “Hope is not just... out in the sky or accepting the facts or reality. Hope is having optimistic, positive expectations.” —Craig Sager

18. “I'm so optimistic, I'd go after Moby Dick in a rowboat and take the tartar sauce with me.” —Zig Ziglar

19. “I find, when you're an optimist, life has a funny way of looking after you.” —Simon Sinek

20. “When you have vision it affects your attitude. Your attitude is optimistic rather than pessimistic.” —Charles R. Swindoll

21. “The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn't still be a farmer.” —Will Rogers

You can see a video with quotes on Optimism here.

Now, go spread some optimism around. We need it.

You can spread some optimism by sharing this article in your social networks.

And, please comment below with your favorite quote on optimism.

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Gary J. Lanham is an analyst in the Learning Group at OneMain Financial and an experienced manager, trainer, and presenter. He received his MBA from Winthrop University where he volunteers as a mentor in the Mentoring Business Minds program in the College of Business Administration.

Gary helps people develop effective personal work styles by focusing on organization, prioritization, workflow, and time management.

Follow Gary on LinkedIn or Twitter @GaryJLanham. Contact him at [email protected].

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Gary spoke at Winthrop University for their 13th Annual Student Professional Development Conference. You can hear the recording of his live webinar session, "Scared is What You're Feeling, Brave is What You're Doing" > click here.

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