Walker Clark
Worldview Archives
The Value of Pessimism
Pessimism can be a valuable tool for getting things done.
The next time you say to a colleague, “Stop being so negative!” it might be helpful to make sure the benefit of their pessimistic thinking has been fully appreciated and used.
If it has, the better question is then, "How can we bring some balance to this discussion by using both pessimistic and optimistic thinking skills and behaviors?"
Balancing Optimism and Pessimism
In 2009, President Barack Obama faced the difficult decision about whether to proceed with his agenda for health care reform in the United States, on the heels of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.
His advisors asked him somewhat facetiously, "Do you feel lucky? Because that is what it's going to take to pull this off."
