“A stumbling block to the pessimist is a stepping-stone to the optimist.” Eleanor Roosevelt

While this week’s posts have already featured the stepping stones of success, the idea presented by Eleanor Roosevelt has powerful implications.

Pessimists continually look at the negative and impossible nature of accomplishing anything. They tend to see the worst in everything and suck the air out of hope for anything better. Worst still is the fact that a pessimist believe the world is bad and that evil will overcome.

Optimists stand in direct contrast to the pessimist. There is hope and confidence in the future, knowing that good will ultimately prevail over evil.

With an understanding of these two philosophies, the thought of the day has more significance. If a pessimist is looking at the worst of every situation, then everything is viewed as a stumbling block, where an optimist will use every situation as a stepping-stone for something greater. There is hope of a brighter tomorrow.

Leaders must be dealers in hope, optimists of the future ahead.