Hope vs. Optimism
By Marc Weiss - CEO, Management One
“Hope is the passion for what is possible”
-Soren Kierkegaard
Thankfulness and joy are certainly being felt among Indie retailers this season. My how the pendulum has swung in the last year.
A friend, Lauren Kovach, at dinner, recently mentioned she was an optimist with a plan. I began thinking about the differences between hope and optimism, so I of course Googled it and came across an interesting, recent essay about the matter in The Atlantic titled, “The Difference Between Hope and Optimism”. (link at the end of this post).
In the article, and this was to my surprise, the author, Arthur C. Brooks illustrates why he believes that hope is better. In essence, optimists tend to be more disappointed and people who hope, achieve more. According to the article, people who demonstrate hope focus on specific personal achievement, whereas folks who are optimistic focus more broadly on future outcomes. When those outcomes do not materialize, they are disappointed. The article is worth the read and better explains the differences between hope and optimism than I will here. In addition, there is bonus content as well on steps to increase your achievements based on three steps involving hope.
I began to reflect on the days since late March of 2020, and initially thought it was optimism that kept us all going, and believed those who were most optimistic prevailed to enjoy the fruits of their persistence. However, it was hope that allowed us to prevail. It was really individual achievement and not blind optimism that enabled us to reach this day.
Arthur C . Brooks writes, “Some of the people who have done the best (through Covid) have been downright pessimistic about the outside world, but they’ve paid less attention to external circumstances and focused more on what they could do to persevere.”
My point in this discussion between optimism and hope is that normalcy as we knew it is never going to return. Some of it is for the better and some if it is because it is just hard to change and evolve, especially for those of us that have been in retail for a lifetime. If there is a difference between hope and optimism as the article prescribes, then let’s embrace hope as we journey into 2022, while we appreciate and give thanks that we landed stronger and more prosperous than we could have ever imagined 19 months ago.
I was always skeptical about Ben Franklin’s quote, “optimists are disappointed, pessimists are prepared.” I always took it as glass half empty attitude. Until now I never considered that you could accompany that phrase with hope. I think my friend, Lauren, said it well and now I think of hope as “optimism with a plan”. It combines my desire to be optimistic, and yet plays to my inner fight to achieve. As you set your sights on 2022, reflect on how you are planning for continued success in the months ahead. What are YOU hopeful to achieve in your business and what can you do TODAY to set that plan in motion?
I hope for another great year with all of you in 2022. I wish you all a very happy, healthy, and prosperous Holiday season.
Onwards and Upwards.
Marc