--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not talking about blind optimism, the…" description: "\"I'm not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. I'm ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/barack-obama-17_always-believe_i-m-not-talking-about-blind-optimism-the_839315.jpg" --- # I'm not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope… ![“I'm not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. I'm not talking about the wishful idealism that allows us to just sit on the sidelines or shirk from a fight. I have always believed that hope is that…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/barack-obama-17_always-believe_i-m-not-talking-about-blind-optimism-the_839315.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/barack-obama-17_always-believe_i-m-not-talking-about-blind-optimism-the_839315.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/barack-obama-17_always-believe_i-m-not-talking-about-blind-optimism-the_839315.jpg) > “I'm not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. I'm not talking about the wishful idealism that allows us to just sit on the sidelines or shirk from a fight. I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hope is a resilient inner drive that persists despite obstacles, urging action and perseverance for a better future. **In simple terms:** Hope fuels perseverance despite challenges. Key Takeaway Embrace hope and act courageously. Themes hope perseverance resilience Mood inspirational determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal setbacks - social activism - career challenges - health goals Key Concepts psychology motivation optimism Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn hope into actionable steps? - What obstacles test your hope? A Different Perspective Hope alone cannot solve systemic problems without concrete plans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind/) [Blind optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind-optimism/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Idealism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idealism/) [Not talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-talking/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Something better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something-better/) ## Related quotes > [I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that-stubborn-thing-inside-us-2/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Hope is not blind optimism. It's not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/hope-is-not-blind-optimism-it-s-not-ignoring-the-enormity-of-the-task/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Hope is the bedrock of this nation. The belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us, by all those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/hope-is-the-bedrock-of-this-nation-the-belief-that-our-destiny-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that-stubborn-thing-inside-us/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“I've never been more hopeful about our future. I have never been more hopeful about America. And I ask you to sustain that hope.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-ve-never-been-more-hopeful-about-our-future-i-have-never-been-more/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Optimism is a kind of heart stimulant - the digitalis of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/optimism-is-a-kind-of-heart-stimulant-the-digitalis-of-failure/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Optimism is a kind of heart stimulus, the digitalis of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/optimism-is-a-kind-of-heart-stimulus-the-digitalis-of-failure/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [“If we have any role at all, I think it’s the role of optimism, not blind or stupid optimism, but the kind which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/if-we-have-any-role-at-all-i-think-it-s-the-role-of-optimism-not/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [As the world's largest economy and second-largest carbon emitter, as a country with unsurpassed ability to drive innovation and scientific breakthroughs, as the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-the-world-s-largest-economy-and-second-largest-carbon-emitter-as-a/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Being an England supporter is like being the over-optimistic parents of the fat kid on sports day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/being-an-england-supporter-is-like-being-the-over-optimistic-parents/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [I’ve questioned everything about myself, every step of the way. You have to have the same amount of fear and self-doubt as you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-ve-questioned-everything-about-myself-every-step-of-the-way-you/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I’m not interested in blind optimism, but I’m very interested in optimism that is hard-won, that takes on darkness and then says, ‘This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/i-m-not-interested-in-blind-optimism-but-i-m-very-interested-in/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [“Nesse’s research focuses on the evolutionary origins of depression. Why does depression exist at all? If it’s stayed in our gene pool for so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/nesse-s-research-focuses-on-the-evolutionary-origins-of-depression/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [I like to keep working and keep changing. It's a hopeful, optimistic thing to think and sit about what you could do next. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-ervin-beam/i-like-to-keep-working-and-keep-changing-it-s-a-hopeful-optimistic/) [Samuel Ervin Beam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-ervin-beam/) > [I'm only trying to present as honest a portrayal of the grimness of human ambition as I can. I'd hope it's rather uplifting, actually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ware/i-m-only-trying-to-present-as-honest-a-portrayal-of-the-grimness-of/) [Chris Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ware/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Always believe quotes > [I always believed that photography was subjective, interpretive and certainly did not represent the truth, but I did think that its status as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ritchin/i-always-believed-that-photography-was-subjective-interpretive-and/) [Fred Ritchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ritchin/) > [I've always believed that humans are good at heart. But there's always the exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carlson/i-ve-always-believed-that-humans-are-good-at-heart-but-there-s-always/) [Amy Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carlson/) > [I've always believed that service to others is rent we pay for our time on this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-curtis/i-ve-always-believed-that-service-to-others-is-rent-we-pay-for-our/) [Tony Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-curtis/) > [I've always believed that the desire must come from within, not as a result of being driven by coaches or parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-fraser/i-ve-always-believed-that-the-desire-must-come-from-within-not-as-a/) [Dawn Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-fraser/) > [I always believe in doing new things and using new materials that I have never used or that I didn't like for a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miuccia-prada/i-always-believe-in-doing-new-things-and-using-new-materials-that-i/) [Miuccia Prada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miuccia-prada/) > [The messaging campaign that stigmatized the term feminist definitely worked on me when I was a teenager. I always believed in equality, but there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-west/the-messaging-campaign-that-stigmatized-the-term-feminist-definitely/) [Lindy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-west/) > [I have always believed that anybody with a little guts and the desire to apply himself can make it, can make anything he wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/i-have-always-believed-that-anybody-with-a-little-guts-and-the-desire/) [Bill Shoemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shoemaker/) > [So like any football or basketball coach, you always always believe you're going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/so-like-any-football-or-basketball-coach-you-always-always-believe/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I've always believed that a good twist is one that, when it is presented to the audience, half of them say, 'I saw that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-ve-always-believed-that-a-good-twist-is-one-that-when-it-is/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [We hate guys who date more than one woman at a time. I've always believed that what's unacceptable in one sex should, by definition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/we-hate-guys-who-date-more-than-one-woman-at-a-time-i-ve-always/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [Just always believe in yourself. "Champions adjust." It's a line I learned from Billie Jean King, and sometimes your dream adjusts. Be willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/just-always-believe-in-yourself-champions-adjust-it-s-a-line-i/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [The hardest thing to get is true emotion. I always believe you need to earn that with the audience. You can't just tell them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/the-hardest-thing-to-get-is-true-emotion-i-always-believe-you-need-to/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [I have always believed that the ultimate purpose of economic policies and development policy is to meet the basic needs of our people. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manmohan-singh/i-have-always-believed-that-the-ultimate-purpose-of-economic-policies/) [Manmohan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manmohan-singh/) > [Whatever distrust we may have of the sincerity of those who converse with us, we always believe they will tell us more truth than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/whatever-distrust-we-may-have-of-the-sincerity-of-those-who-converse/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [One of my quests from the beginning has been to inform people, educate people, sort of train people, if you will, to spot liberalism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/one-of-my-quests-from-the-beginning-has-been-to-inform-people-educate/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) Browse all 397 Always believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. 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