Entrepreneurship and Optimism

Chris Gale, CEO of Latin Resources

“As an entrepreneur, you have to be an eternal optimist!”

Nick Stanley, CEO of Runway

 "It’s been my experience that optimism is the single-most-important characteristic of the successful entrepreneur. It’s a characteristic that you look for in the toughest of times.”

Jonathan Lamb then CEO of The Entrepreneurs' Forum

“Entrepreneurs are all about resilience and ‪optimism and taking on and overcoming challenges and they are the key to creating future jobs and prosperity.”

Jason Cotton, Intelligent Water Networks

"Entrepreneurship is seeing what everyone else sees but thinking what no one else has thought. That's because entrepreneurs see through a lens of optimism, enabling them to see the market gaps and opportunities. They see what is possible."

Miriam Feiler

“Optimism drives every entrepreneur. The deep belief that we can, and will “make it”, whatever our “it” is, enables us to push through the obstacles. Optimism helps us believe that our next venture will thrive, even after a spectacular fall. In this way, you could argue that ‘small business’ isn’t actually the engine the powers most economies in the world. It is Optimism.”

Dr Marcus Powe, Senior Lecturer - Global MBA

"The Entrepreneur has Curiosity + Imagination + Optimism. Combined, they create the energy needed to overcome the fear of change."

(August 2023)

Stephen Ibaraki, Futurist and Entrepreneur

“In collecting more than 200 attributes that define success with entrepreneurs, there are four that stand out—one is optimism. When looking at the related area of happiness, prior to 2000, it was believed that people were born with a happiness set point—immutable thus setting your course for the future. However, when studying Tibetan monks and their brain activity, it was discovered that this could be raised through technique. The same is true of Optimism; you can increase your optimism by reframing everything into opportunities or key lessons for growth. This is similar to stress hormones, they are produced in relation to how you frame workload and challenges—think optimistically about opportunities and skill growth—the stress levels go down thus improving your life quality. Finally, there is this definition of success related to Grit most recently defined by psychologist Angela Duckworth which I’m modifying based upon my experiences:

Talent x  hyper effort = skill

Skill x hyper effort = achievement

Achievement x passion x perseverance x optimism (squared) = Grit applied over long-term goals = Success”

Richard Branson, Entrepreneur

 “Those swimming in a glass half empty are more likely to drown than those swimming in a glass half full. I’m an incurable optimist, and I like it that way. It’s enabled me to remain hopeful and future-focused. Attitude is everything in life and in business.”

"Entrepreneurs are people who see obstacles as opportunities and refuse to accept that problems cannot be solved. We are natural optimists, and we believe that bringing people together to tackle seemingly intractable challenges can change the world."

T. Boone Pickins, American Entrepreneur

"A good plan and hard work helped me get there, but neither are possible without healthy optimism. So, be the eternal optimist."

Rachel Carlson, CEO, Guild Education

“Like most entrepreneurs, I am a wildly optimistic person. My optimism is most rooted in my deeply held belief about our individual and collective ability to solve problems and change systems to improve the human experience.”

Susan Bibby

“As a farmer and budding entrepreneur, for me optimism lies in investing new innovative renewable technologies in production of clean green environmentally sustainable foods, so that as a country we are self-sufficient. I'm talking about food security. Following years of challenge and markets that are heavily influenced by overseas players I believe Australia has an optimistic future if they begin to start with looking after their own first and with this they showcase inexpensive innovative food production technologies for our own populations rather than selling our commodities continually overseas.”

Michelle Worthington, Author

"I am optimistic when I see creative entrepreneurs. People with creative minds are valued in a whole range of businesses as this can translate into fantastic writing skills, unique concepts and new, strategic and efficient ways of doing things. Many skills can be learnt over time, but it is exceedingly difficult to teach creativity. Our society is learning to value an imaginative, creative thinker."

Babette Bensoussan, CEO, The MindShifts Group

 "I believe that every inventor and entrepreneur is an optimist. When you look around the world today and see all the things that are happening to create better lives, it is outstanding - poverty is declining globally, child mortality globally is also declining, and literacy is rising. We are an ingenious race. I also believe people are basically good and want only two things in life - to love and be loved. All the rest is peripheral. If leaders understand that, then imagine what they can achieve with compassion, caring and thoughtfulness.”

Andrew Reid, CEO of Rival Technologies

“As an entrepreneur, I hold an abundant and optimistic view of technology.”

Dr Andreas Kappes and Dr Tali Sharot

“Entrepreneurs are more optimist than the average person. Is being an optimist a helpful thing for entrepreneurs and innovators?… It turns out optimism can be a blessing and a curse. Optimism enhances the likelihood of identifying creative solutions. It also induces over-confidence in the ability to successfully implement these solutions, which makes it more likely that entrepreneurs will take the plunge. It also makes entrepreneurs more persistent in the face of setbacks, protects against stress and makes networking easier.”

Nancy Youseff, Author of "Fear Money Purpose."

“The way I see it, entrepreneurs are typically a different breed: we don't think the same as everyone else. We are eternally optimistic, even in the fast of overwhelmingly difficult odds. That optimism creates the ideas that keep you persistent, resilient and bouncing back when things fail. It’s almost like a disease!

"Having a positive outlook for the future and for the world as a whole makes entrepreneurs the visionaries that they are. When you’re optimistic, you’re usually a happier person and that creates endorphins, also known as the happy hormones.

"But I think the biggest thing about entrepreneurs being over-optimistic is it means that they’re very focused on achieving their goals – which makes them super clear on their strategy. If you're optimistic and driven and you can get buy-in from the people around you, particularly your teams and key stakeholders, and that can show a stronger leadership style and inform your strategy.”

Bruna Martinuzzi, Author of  "The Leader as a Mensch"

"Optimism is a key leadership trait for anyone leading teams. It can be especially important for anyone who leads an entrepreneurial venture where risk and uncertainty are common, and where an optimistic outlook for the future can help stay the course. But being optimistic doesn't mean being bull-headed and refusing to face facts. And it doesn't mean going around wearing the proverbial rose-coloured glasses. It's about being inclined to hope. It's leading teams by showing them that you have confidence in a better tomorrow no matter what false starts or setbacks the team may be facing today."

Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation.com

"The beauty of a positive attitude is that it is contagious. When you are optimistic and see the glass as half-full, others around you will catch on to that feeling. Be the most energetic you that you can be. Get a good night’s sleep, eat healthy, and make time to exercise and read so you are able to nurture the self-care side of yourself. Share all of your ideas, and your great attitude, with your team, colleagues, partners, and vendors. People want to be around positive individuals. They’ll stick around for a positive entrepreneur, and work with them no matter what. Be that to others and watch as your connections and opportunities grow!"^⁠

Daniel Kahneman, Author

 "Optimistic people play a disproportionate role in shaping our lives. Their decisions make a difference; they are inventors, entrepreneurs, political and military leaders - not average people.  They got to where they are by seeking challenges and taking risks."

The optimist says the glass is half full.

The pessimist says the glass is half empty.

The entrepreneur sees the glass as undervalued by half its potential.

Darrah Brustein, Entrepreneur

"Optimism breeds optimism. Pessimism breeds pessimism. You get to choose."

Gary Gopinathan, Executive Director, The John Maxwell Team

"As an entrepreneur and leader, I find optimism through surrounding myself with positivity and positive people.”

Kerry Anderson, Author of 'Entrepreneurship: It's Everybody's Business!'

“There are only two choices in life. As long as you are prepared to get out of bed every day, I believe that you are an optimist. At every point in history, there is 'hardship' of all different forms. It’s how you deal with it that matters. It is purely and simply up to us. No blaming anyone else!”

Nick Nichola, Managing Partner, K&L Gates

“I think we should be optimistic about the months and years ahead. If history tells us anything, times of global hardship and tragedy are usually followed by a period of positivity and entrepreneurship.

Vinisha Umashankar, Schoolgirl and Inventor

“Many of my generation are angry at leaders who’ve made empty promises and failed to deliver. We’ve every reason to be angry. But I’ve no time for anger. I want to act. I’m not just a girl from India. I’m a girl from Earth. I’m very proud to be so. I’m a student, innovator, environmentalist and entrepreneur but most importantly, an optimist.”

Alyson Dutch, in her essay, "How Entrepreneurs Can Hone The Skill Of Optimism"

"Being an optimist is not just an attitude; it's a key skill to sharpen if you want to create a legacy and, in the meantime, create fulfillment for yourself and your team. To develop more optimism in your organization, start by watching your thoughts. If you find yourself ruminating about issues, shift your focus to the potential exciting opportunities that are coming your way.  Express gratitude as well. I find that the only way to truly embrace an optimistic mindset is by focusing on being thankful for all the good things in your life and business. It works."

Read more of these inspiring quotable quotes in "Optimism: The How and Why" by Victor Perton, CEO of The Centre for Optimism.