To give optimism a hand up, we must come to understand that behind the mask of pessimism there is nothing more than fear bent on knocking us down.

It would seem that the belief that ‘everything is bad’ won’t quit dogging us until we’ve unconditionally surrendered the belief that ‘anything might be good.’ And if what is ‘bad’ fears what is ‘good’ to that degree, then I am left with the assumption that good left alive will eventually leave bad less than alive.

If there’s one thing that will stop people from achieving their goals, it’s a wall. However, as I see it, without a wall there’s no place to build a door.

Disappointment focuses on ‘what is not,’ and completely misses the far greater reality of ‘what now is.

We tend to perseverate on the fact that as far as we might have fallen, there’s always another bottom underneath the one we’re laying on. Yet, for every bottom underneath us, there’s always endless opportunity above us.