Be a Realistic Optimist/Calibrate Your Inner Compass
Think of your outlook on life as a compass guiding you through a forest:
If you're a pessimist, it's like having a compass that only points towards the thorny bushes and dangerous cliffs. You'll likely end up in a place you'd rather avoid because you're focused on the pitfalls.
Being overly optimistic is like having a compass that ignores all warning signs. You might walk right into a swamp, mistaking it for solid ground, because you're not paying attention to the real challenges on your path.
Being realistically optimistic is like having a well-calibrated compass. It helps you navigate around the hazards while also steering you towards your desired destination.
In essence, a realistically optimistic mindset allows you to see the world for what it is, while also guiding you towards the outcomes you desire.
Related
Notes
Ray Dalio: Embrace Reality And Deal with it
With regard to everything that you enjoy, find useful, or love, keep their nature in mind, starting with the smallest things. If you have a favorite coffee cup, remember that it’s a cup; then if it’s broken, you can stand it. When you hug your child or your spouse, remember that it’s a mortal human being you’re hugging; then if that person dies, you can stand it. - Epictetus
Embrace reality and deal with it. - Principles (by Ray Dalio)
Quotes
I mean I have been so optimistic that 32 years ago I was stupid enough to think that you can write a better Kernel than anybody else. So you have to kind of be a bit bit too optimistic at times to to make a difference. - Linus-Torvalds (video-ref)