Cornerstones Of Pessimism

Stamp out pessimism to make your world a beautiful place

I am an optimist. This is my worldview, and it has served me well in every area of my life. Next to the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo is probably best known for his sculpture of David. When asked by an apprentice how he could turn a block of stone into a masterpiece, Michelangelo responded, “The masterpiece was always inside the stone.  It’s simply a matter of removing everything that’s not David.” Along with incredible talent, his positive disposition resulted in an astonishing work of art.
 

We live in a pessimistic world, so being an optimist often puts me in the minority, and I find myself seeking influences other than the news headlines, mainstream media, and social media. I believe if we remove the forces of pessimism, optimism will emerge as the natural order within our lives.  In order to remove pessimism, we must initially understand it. 
 
There are four cornerstones of pessimism that people build upon to create traps which negatively influence their lives and their legacy. The first cornerstone of pessimism is personalizing the world around you. It’s always good to remember that in the vast majority of occasions in life, it’s not about you. The weather, the economy, the government, and other forces are not conspiring to ruin your life.  All of us deal with the same conditions. For every person you see who is defeated by an external condition, I will show you someone else facing that same challenge that uses it as a springboard to success. The great author and thought leader Napoleon Hill offered us a pearl of wisdom teaching us that every adversity is endowed with a seed of a greater good. 
 
The second cornerstone of pessimism is magnifying. Pessimists turn molehills into mountains and blow up the fine print into the headline. Don’t stop your journey due to a few bumps in the road. These words are being dictated by a blind guy. I understand bad things can happen to good people, but we still control our destiny, and we can shrink bad things down to a manageable size.
 
The third cornerstone of pessimism is catastrophizing. This is the process of looking upon all news as bad news. My late, great friend and mentor Paul Harvey often said, “No one knows enough to be a pessimist.” The spring rain that may interrupt your picnic or ballgame will make the flowers grow and the ballfield green throughout the summer.
 
The fourth and final cornerstone of pessimism is polarizing. This is the process of making every development or condition either all good or all bad. We should hold principles and ideals that are black and white, but we live our lives in shades of gray. If you’re looking for the perfect person for your personal or professional life, they don’t exist. Even if the perfect person did exist, why would they get involved with you and me? 
 
My beloved mentor, legendary Coach John Wooden, told me, “There’s enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us that it doesn’t behoove any of us to judge anyone.” Great families, successful businesses, and winning teams are made up of flawed people just like you and me.
 
As you go through your day today, stamp out pessimism and your world will become a beautiful place.
 
Today’s the day!

Jim Stovall is the President of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift.  He is also a columnist and motivational speaker.   Follow @Stovallauthor