Optimism is the Fuel for Positive Change

Optimism is a powerful force for positive change. It can motivate people to confront reality, drive innovation and creativity, and inspire hope for a better future. Many leaders, innovators, and change-makers recognize the importance of optimism in driving positive change, as evidenced by the insights (below) of Megumi Miki, Dr Lane Glenn, Paul Chapman, Professor Ken Sloan, and others.

When coupled with the courage to confront reality, optimism becomes a powerful force for positive change. Megumi Miki highlights the importance of acknowledging and accepting the current reality without being limited. Instead, optimism can inspire individuals and societies to work towards a better future.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a growing awareness of the importance of personal development and mental health, according to Hanine Mansour-Fakih. This increased awareness and a positive mindset can drive positive change and lead to great things.

According to Paul Chapman, innovators, inventors, and change-leaders inherently use optimism as their energy and sustenance. They persist even in the face of failure, fueled by their addiction-like commitment to the possibilities for positive change.

Professor Erwin Loh emphasizes the importance of being an optimist and relentlessly pursuing the beacon of hope. By moving together in the same positive direction of hope, individuals and communities can improve the world.

Victor Perton advocates using positive language to foster the needed positive change. Individuals can create a more positive and productive environment by avoiding negative language and expressing gratitude to critics.

Peter Beattie, former Premier of Queensland, believes that goodwill and optimism can change the world. No society grows without optimism, he argues. Krystian Seibert from the Centre for Social Impact at Swinburne University highlights the importance of optimism in driving social impact. By keeping our minds open to new perspectives and ideas and striving even when we face setbacks, we can improve our society.

Gretha Oost finds optimism in the chaos and discomfort of change. To her, it shows that real change is around the corner and that positive change is possible.

Tracy McLeod Howe, CEO of the NSW Council of Social Service, believes that persistent optimism is a must in her line of work. It drives good advocates and inspires them to make the world a better place. Of course, failure is part of the process, but it is better to try and fail than to never try.

Despite the challenges of globalization and capitalism, Andrew Liveris, former Chair of The Dow Chemical Company, remains optimistic. He believes collaboration and solutions can positively impact the lives of billions of people, making life better for themselves, their loved ones, and the communities around them.

In conclusion, optimism is the fuel for positive change. It drives innovation, creativity, and hope for a better future. By acknowledging reality, persisting in the face of failure, and collaborating to solve challenges, individuals and communities can positively impact the world.

Megumi Miki

"When you couple optimism with the courage to confront reality, it is a powerful force for positive change."

Dr Lane Glenn, president of Northern Essex Community College (in an article “It can be done” describing a meeting with Victor Perton)

"Positive change, in people and societies, is at the very core of our being."

Lucia Cade

“I know it sounds Pollyanna, I choose to spend my time on the projects that are really going to change things - the save-the-world ones.”

Paul Chapman, Chair of the Bendigo Invention and Innovation Festival

"Every innovator, inventor and change-leader, inherently use optimism as their energy and sustenance. It is the never-ending supply of 'fuel in the tank' that allows them to persevere and succeed."

Professor Ken Sloan 

"Innovators must be optimists, even if they don’t always sound it. Most of their ideas fail but their resolve to create and solve never fades. Even if they give up for a while, their addiction-like commitment to the possibilities for positive change always comes back to the fore."

Professor Erwin Loh, Group Chief Medical Officer, St Vincent's Health Australia

 “Be an optimist, and be relentless in pursuing the beacon of hope, so that you are always moving towards the light that will guide you, shine on you, and keep the shadows of darkness and despair behind you. You will also make it easier for others to find you, follow you, and be inspired by you. And by moving together in the same positive direction of hope, instead of fear, you can change the world.”

Victor Perton

"The only person you can change is yourself. Make sure to avoid the word “but” and its synonyms. Instead, consider expressing your gratitude to your critics. Smile more in the meetings."

Victor Perton

"Use positive language to foster the positive change you think we need. Be optimistic."

Peter Beattie AC, former Premier of Queensland

“Goodwill and optimism can change the world. It is easy to be negative but more constructive to be positive. No society grows without optimism.”

Krystian Seibert, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University.

"Social impact is all about optimism. Whether we’re trying to understand a complex problem, to shape public policy, to enhance the effectiveness of our charities or grow philanthropy - it’s all driven by a firm belief that by working together as a community, we can change our society for the better. We need to be optimists to keep our minds open to new perspectives and ideas, and to keep on striving even when we face a setback."

Gretha Oost, Social Designer

"What makes me optimistic?  The current chaos, the friction, the comfortable becoming uncomfortable. To me, it shows that real change is around the corner."

Tracy McLeod Howe, CEO, NSW Council of Social Service

 “Persistent optimism is a must in my line of work. It's what drives a good advocate. Optimism that we can make our world better, optimism that others will join our drive for change, optimism that each of us has the power to make a difference. And you never know when that optimism will have a breakthrough. Give everything a try once, I say. Be comfortable with failing. Better to say, "ok, that didn't work – what's next," than to be constantly saying, "that won't work.”

Andrew Liveris, then Chair, The Dow Chemical Company

“In many cases, globalization and capitalism has been a force for good. At the same time, a substantial part of humanity has been left behind by growth that has been uneven and inequitable, creating a global environment marked by anger, violence, inequality, and divisiveness.  Despite all of this, I remain as optimistic as ever.  Today’s world is abundant with opportunity to collaborate in new ways, creating positive change and solutions that protect the planet and provide hope to millions of people who feel that the world has forgotten them. To use a math metaphor, we can choose to live on the numerator, a person who adds to and multiplies the good versus living on the denominator as someone who subtracts, or worse, divides.  If we embrace this opportunity and collaborate to solve some of the biggest challenges facing society, we truly can positively impact the lives of billions of people, making life better for themselves, their loved ones, and the communities around them.”

Nick Smit, International Affairs Expert

 “I am optimistic for the future of the world’s population as rising education standards, nutrition, disease control, birth control and employment, particularly in hitherto impoverished regions, are leading to a better life for more people. I am worried by the tendency of many in the developed world to want everything to stay the way it is now, e.g. to stop replacing native growth with rural development and rural by urban development. People seem to be happy live on cleared bushland but refuse to allow anyone else to clear bushland to live on. A major challenge for leaders of the future is to find the right balance between development and conservation which will be key to improving global living standards and thus, happiness. Too many in the developed world are fearful of change at a time when the rate of change, particularly in the case of technological change, is accelerating rapidly.”

Michelle A. Waters, Strategic Consultant & Author

"What makes me optimistic is the capacity for people to love, learn and change. There is so much goodness inside everyone if we choose to see it, get out of our head and become still on the inside."

Robert Safian, Editor in Chief, Fast Company

“I am a believer in the power of optimism, the drive and creativity that possibility can engender. I believe in it not the way a child would, but knowing full well the perils and pitfalls that the world can put in your path. Today there is much to be anxious about when we get up each day. Uncertainty reigns as rapid change disrupts expectations and social norms. Global leadership is fractured and economic conditions fluctuate widely. Spectres loom, from climate change to cyberterrorism. The relentless pace can make you want to curl up in a corner, wary of what might come next. Or you can stare unblinkingly at this time of chaos and dig into the difficult work of building a better tomorrow.” 

Michelle Mannering

"I'm optimistic when I think about the good in others. Strive to see the positives. Instead of seeing everything as an obstacle, I see things as challenges. Take that challenge and believe you can create real change."

Kyle Farris, Leadership Development, Aetna

“Focusing on the negative isn’t difficult. We’re hardwired to identify threats in our environment and allow them to shape our narrative. For some, it can bury us. It torments our self-perception, our relationships, and our effectiveness. It takes a strong force of will to balance the acknowledgement of a threat with sincere optimism. In that balance, we say, “My environment does not define me; I define my environment.” Optimism, therefore, is not a whimsical notion of ignorance; it is a devotion to be an agent of change in an otherwise entropic world of thought."

Richard Hayward, Healthcare Administrator at Western Health

 “What makes me optimistic? Despite the doom and gloom evidenced in the mainstream media and the apparent lack of progress on democratic and political issues, there is a real sense that individuals and organisations have the capacity to make a difference and to create change that will drive progress forward.”

Kate Dundas, Director Strategic Foresight and Research at Sustainability Victoria!

"A few things make me optimistic, the first is the inefficiencies of our current systems. There is so much potential for radical change towards a fairer, healthier and more resilient planet and society. The second is the incredible creativity of people and the power of community."

Helen Szoke, then CEO at Oxfam Australia

 "We don’t have the luxury of not being optimistic.  There is too much in the world that needs optimism as the force for good and the motivation for change to make the world a better place.  Yes let’s analyse what is wrong and what needs to be done, but then be optimistic that we can make change.  If we don’t have optimism then we don’t have hope!"

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

 "I want to lead a government that has the same sentiment of optimism and hope that defines the Australian people. I want to be positive and channel the opportunity we have to shape change, so we bring people with us on the journey of change."

Robert Hillard, Managing Partner, Deloitte Consulting

“There is a tendency to make the case for change based on the downside, whether it be trade, manufacturing, STEM capability, energy or the environment it is often easier to describe a dystopian future and challenge the status quo.  In fact, when we look at the rate of change in Australia across almost every dimension it is greater than at any time in the working lives of anyone in business or government today.  What’s more, many of the structural inefficiencies that held us back are gradually fading away.  Business and government are partnering across industries and the federal/state divide in ways that were almost impossible just a few years ago: Transport infrastructure is being built; Advanced manufacturing is taking hold; and, New energy technologies have, arguably, gained critical mass. No one leader can take credit and it would be tempting to imagine what would be possible if there were such a person.  Having said that, many individuals are playing their part across many sectors.”

Marcel Schwantes "Shift your mind toward optimism"

Why is change so hard? Because change can be scary. We fear the unknown. If you know something has to change, your first priority is to embrace it with a positive attitude and see it as an opportunity to experience a life you’ve always imagined–one filled with more joy, excitement, and possibilities. That’s optimism. Optimistic people infuse hope into their work efforts while remaining realistic. Undoubtedly, we live in stressful times; we’re not all going to get along. But those who pursue work with optimism avoid the drama, focus on the future, set ambitious goals, acknowledge obstacles, and rejoice with outstretched arms when they reach the top of the mountain."

Dave Ulrich in "Managing Transitions: Ten Tips for All Generations" (May 2024)

"Relax. Transitions can be stressful because they come with uncertainty. Relax during the transition: be yourself, stay optimistic, focus on what is good, remember and savor why the change is happening, have fun, laugh when things don’t work as you expect, and be patient with the process."