Optimism and Realism

Today, practice opti-realism.

It’s been said the way to enlightenment — and creativity, I’d add — is between two extremes. When you have only two choices, you end up stuck. On the other hand, if you allow yourself to explore choices that exist between two seemingly opposites on a conceptual spectrum, you can suddenly become very creative.

For example, in a moment of self-questioning, my client said “I’m beginning to think I’m too optimistic to run this company.”

First, I reminded him that a person without optimism can become a routine thinker and in the end no thinker at all…

Then I questioned his perspective: “Yes, you’re an optimistic visionary. Aren’t you also capable of being realistic? Maybe the real issue is that you believe you can only be one or the other?”

Knowing his team counted on his visionary skills to see beyond realism and into future possibilities, we made up a new perspective that might serve him better: opti-realism. It’s the ability to hold realistic views as well as optimistic ones, to rise above a dichotomy into future possibilities of how what is can become what you envision can be.

For clarity, I asked him to hold four questions in mind whenever he felt stuck or questioned the validity of his visionary nature.

What is?

What will be?

What can be?

What could be if…?

This simple practice resulted in a more practical form of possibility thinking. Exploring realism and optimism simultaneously, he regained self-certainty in his creativity, and saw new possibilities for the company’s future.

So this weekend, while you reflect on a conflict or a decision you face — maybe over Sunday coffee, maybe on a Saturday run — consider fully what is and what will be (realism) what can and what could be (optimism) and everything in between (opti-realism).

Then, watch your creativity soar.