Pessimists prefer to describe themselves as “pragmatists”.  However, this is neither actually true nor accurate.  A pragmatist will typically evaluate a situation based on success or failure.  Pessimists focus only on the failure and avoid the possible success altogether.  To achieve success in nearly any business but especially in MLM, one must not only see the possibility of success but envision oneself experiencing it.

Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “Pessimism never won any battle.”  Although Network Marketing may not necessarily be a battle, it will present numerous struggles that must be dealt with and overcome.  If there is an actual battle, it most often is the fight that occurs within oneself between doubt and confidence that success can and will be achieved.  This is an internal battle and one that pessimists may completely avoid.  Pessimists usually do not even consider the possibility of success and rather focus on the likelihood of failure and defeat.

Here is one of my favorite stories and it involves identical twins.  One was viewed as a hope-filled optimist. He would often say positive things such as, “Everything is coming up roses!”

His brother was a sad and hopeless pessimist. In fact, this brother viewed Murphy, as in Murphy’s Law, as an optimist.  The parents of the boys were rightfully concerned and brought them to a highly respected psychologist.

The psychologist suggested a plan to the parents that might balance the twins’ personalities.  “When their next birthday arrives, place them in separate rooms to open birthday presents.  Purchase the best toys you can afford and give them to the pessimist.  And for the optimist – give him a box of manure.”  After carefully following these strange instructions, with some anxiety the parents carefully observed the results.

From the room of the pessimist, they heard him audibly complaining, “The color of this computer is wrong. This calculator is cheap and will break.  Nobody likes this game.  I know lots of kids who have a bigger toy car than this one.”

Quietly walking across the hallway, mom and dad peeked in and viewed their little optimist gleefully tossing the manure up into the air.  While doing so he was giggling, “You can’t fool me!  Where there’s this much manure, there’s got to be a pony!”

In that story, we do not know what the future holds for each boy but we can easily see which one is enjoying life more.  So is there any guarantee that an optimist will succeed in any or every endeavor?  No, but there is much more certainty that an optimist will have fun, relish the journey and attract more friends along the way.  So for me, I make the decision to be an optimist!