--- title: You can’t be an optimist if there are no problems description: "\"You can’t be an optimist if there are no problems. You can’t be hopeful if there’s nothing to be hopeless about,\" said Julio Torres in an interview." image: https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/DALL%C2%B7E%202024-03-26%2006.23.37%20-%20Create%20an%20image%20that%20conceptualizes%20the%20phrase%20You%20cant%20be%20an%20optimist%20if%20there%20are%20no%20problems.%20Depict%20a%20person%20standing%20confidently%20on%20top%20of%20a%20p.webp --- ###### [Check out Our latest insights on Optimism](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/blog) [![Centre for Optimism_Logo](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/Centre%20for%20Optimism_Logo.svg)](https://www.centreforoptimism.com?hsLang=en) - [Home](https://www.centreforoptimism.com) - [Subscribe](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/subscribe) - [Why Optimism?](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/whyoptimism) - [What is Optimism?](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/whatisoptimism) - [The Optimism Principle](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/blog/theoptimismprinciple) - [Need Optimism?](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/services-and-workshops) - [The Optimism Workshop](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/workshop) - [Victor Perton - That Optimism Man](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/victorperton) - [Magnetic Optimism for Organisations](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/magnetic-optimism-workshops) ![Close Icon (3)](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/Close%20Icon%20(3).svg) ![Search (2)](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/Search%20(2).svg) # You can’t be an optimist if there are no problems **"You can’t be an optimist if there are no problems.** **You can’t be hopeful if there’s nothing to be hopeless about,"** said Julio Torres [in an interview about the film Problemista](https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-pop-culture/problemista-tilda-swinton-julio-torres-problematic-new-york-rcna144089).     His costar, Tilda Swinton, said, “There was a time when we all thought things were just inevitably going to get better, and then, fairly recently, we realized that evolution can throw really nasty tricks in our way, and things can go badly backwards. **And here we are, suggesting that we don’t have to get used to that, and it’s worth being an optimist, because, however shit things are, sometimes you can actually get through the wire and get over the hill.** We’re all trying to be so brave, buckling down to the inevitable disasters coming down the pike, but it’s actually true that there* are* wonderful things that happen, and we can make them so. It does feel transgressive, but, at the same time, it’s good for people to believe that we can actually prevail.” [Written by Victor Perton](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/blog/author/victor-perton) ##### Keep up to date with the latest from Centre for Optimism ##### We appreciate any contribution you can make to help us spread optimism with the world [![Give Today](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/21889975/daed54ec-1173-4b99-9390-e69152e87436.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/21889975/daed54ec-1173-4b99-9390-e69152e87436) #### Here are some similar articles ## Connect With Us ##### We love to connect with everyone who is ready to open up and share their optimisim. - [![Facebook 2](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/Center%20of%20Optimism%20Assets/Facebook%202.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/optimistsvoices/) - [![instagram (6)](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/instagram%20(6).svg)](https://www.instagram.com/centreforoptimism/?hl=en) - [![linked in 2](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/linked%20in%202.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/centreforoptimism/) - [![youtube (3)](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/youtube%20(3).svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFd4GnToz3WLasQSfsz_z8w) - [![twitter](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/twitter.svg)](https://twitter.com/Centre4Optimism) #### Keep up to date with the latest from The Centre for Optimism ##### Contact Us Call Us: [+61 417 217 241](tel:+61%20417%20217%20241) (Australia) PO Box 5081, Garden City, Victoria 3207, Australia ##### [The Centre for Optimism](https://www.centreforoptimism.com?hsLang=en) - [Why Optimism?](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/whyoptimism) - [What is Optimism?](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/whatisoptimism) - Why be Optimistic? - Our Advisory board ##### Our Research - What makes People Optimistic? - Transformation and Change - [The Better Normal](https://thecentreforoptimism.wildapricot.org/The-Better-Normal) - Strategy and Optimism ##### Join Us - Become a Patron - Join the Optimism Movement - Volunteer ##### [Services](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/workshop?hsLang=en) - [The Optimism Workshop](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/workshop) - The Optimism Roundtable - Beacons Of Optimism Workshop - [The Habits of an Optimist](https://www.projectoptimism.com.au/courses/optimism-can-be-learnt-the-habits-of-an-optimist/) ##### The Centre for Optimism - [Why Optimism?](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/whyoptimism) - [What is Optimism?](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/whatisoptimism) - Why be Optimistic? - Our Advisory board ##### Our Research - What makes People Optimistic? - Transformation and Change - [The Better Normal](https://thecentreforoptimism.wildapricot.org/The-Better-Normal) - Strategy and Optimism ##### Join Us - Become a Patron - Join the Optimism Movement - Volunteer ##### Services - [The Optimism Workshop](https://www.centreforoptimism.com/workshop) - The Optimism Roundtable - Beacons Of Optimism Workshop - [The Habits of an Optimist](https://www.projectoptimism.com.au/courses/optimism-can-be-learnt-the-habits-of-an-optimist/) ©2026 The Centre for Optimism - Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Victor Perton", "url" : "https://www.centreforoptimism.com/blog/author/victor-perton" }, "dateModified" : "2024-03-25T19:25:09.403Z", "datePublished" : "2024-03-25T19:17:11.000Z", "headline" : "You can’t be an optimist if there are no problems", "image" : [ "https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/DALL%C2%B7E%202024-03-26%2006.23.37%20-%20Create%20an%20image%20that%20conceptualizes%20the%20phrase%20You%20cant%20be%20an%20optimist%20if%20there%20are%20no%20problems.%20Depict%20a%20person%20standing%20confidently%20on%20top%20of%20a%20p.webp" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.centreforoptimism.com/blog/you-cant-be-an-optimist-if-there-are-no-problems", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.centreforoptimism.com/hubfs/Centre%20for%20Optimism_Logo.svg" }, "name" : "The Centre for Optimism" } } ```