--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Realism is for pessimists. An optimist…" description: "\"Realism is for pessimists. An optimist creates his own reality.\" — David Harley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/david-harley-98055_entrepreneur_realism-is-for-pessimists-an-optimist-cr_2910371.png" --- # Realism is for pessimists. An optimist creates his own… ![“Realism is for pessimists. An optimist creates his own reality.” quote by David Harley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/david-harley-98055_entrepreneur_realism-is-for-pessimists-an-optimist-cr_2910371.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/david-harley-98055_entrepreneur_realism-is-for-pessimists-an-optimist-cr_2910371.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/david-harley-98055_entrepreneur_realism-is-for-pessimists-an-optimist-cr_2910371.png) > “Realism is for pessimists. An optimist creates his own reality.” [David Harley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimists shape their reality, while realists accept it; optimism creates new possibilities. **In simple terms:** Optimism builds your own reality. Key Takeaway Adopt an optimistic mindset to influence outcomes. Themes optimism reality mindset creativity self‑efficacy Mood hopeful energetic inspirational Type Entrepreneur:0 Optimism:1 Optimist:1 Pessimism:0 Pessimist:0 Pessimists:0 Realism:0 Reality:1 Realism Pessimists:0 Pessimists Optimist:0 When to use this quote - business strategy - personal development - creative problem solving Key Concepts Positive psychology cognitive reframing Questions to Reflect On - How can optimism be balanced with realism? - What reality are you actively creating? A Different Perspective Over‑optimism can ignore real risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Optimist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimist/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Pessimist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimist/) [Pessimists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimists/) [Pessimists Optimist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimists-optimist-4188369/) [Realism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realism/) [Realism Pessimists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realism-pessimists-4188368/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [The bottom line on attitude is that a good one helps to increase your possibilities. Pessimists usually get what they expect. So do optimists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/the-bottom-line-on-attitude-is-that-a-good-one-helps-to-increase-your/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Pessimists fear becoming the dupes of Hope. Optimists enjoy Hope's company, and consider being duped no great matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/pessimists-fear-becoming-the-dupes-of-hope-optimists-enjoy-hope-s/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe that bad events will last a long time, will undermine everything they do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/the-defining-characteristic-of-pessimists-is-that-they-tend-to/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [Optimists and pessimists die the exact same death, but they live very different lives!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/optimists-and-pessimists-die-the-exact-same-death-but-they-live-very/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Pessimists see a problem behind every opportunity. Optimists see an opportunity behind every problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/pessimists-see-a-problem-behind-every-opportunity-optimists-see-an/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“People who are too optimistic seem annoying. This is an unfortunate misinterpretation of what an optimist really is. An optimist is neither naive, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/people-who-are-too-optimistic-seem-annoying-this-is-an-unfortunate/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [“Immune to the blandishments of religions, countries, families, and whatever else that—with a smattering of emotive images and strains of maudlin music—can move the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/immune-to-the-blandishments-of-religions-countries-families-and/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [The play-it-safe pessimists of the world never accomplish much of anything, because they don't look clearly and objectively at situations, they don't recognize or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-hoff/the-play-it-safe-pessimists-of-the-world-never-accomplish-much-of/) [Benjamin Hoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-hoff/) > [I like pessimists. They’re always the ones who bring life jackets for the boat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/i-like-pessimists-they-re-always-the-ones-who-bring-life-jackets-for/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“Actually he was a pessimist, and, like all pessimists, a ridiculously unobservant man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/actually-he-was-a-pessimist-and-like-all-pessimists-a-ridiculously/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [I thought all my life that optimists and pessimists pass away the same way, so why be a pessimist?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-thought-all-my-life-that-optimists-and-pessimists-pass-away-the/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Whatever pretended pessimists in search of notoriety may say, most people are naturally kind, at heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-branch-cabell/whatever-pretended-pessimists-in-search-of-notoriety-may-say-most/) [James Branch Cabell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-branch-cabell/) > [Pessimists are usually kind. The gay, bubbling over, have no time for the pitiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-faolain/pessimists-are-usually-kind-the-gay-bubbling-over-have-no-time-for/) [Sean O Faolain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-faolain/) > [“To see all pessimists as pessimists is to be a pessimist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/to-see-all-pessimists-as-pessimists-is-to-be-a-pessimist/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Pessimists are not boring. Pessimists are right. Pessimists are superfluous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/pessimists-are-not-boring-pessimists-are-right-pessimists-are/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) ## More by David Harley > [In order to achieve something great, you'll have to sacrifice something great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harley/in-order-to-achieve-something-great-you-ll-have-to-sacrifice/) [David Harley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harley/) [Explore all 2 David Harley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harley/) ## More Entrepreneur quotes > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [What is entrepreneurship, after all? Bigness is not the issue. Poor people are the ones who take challenges every day. The guy who sells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/what-is-entrepreneurship-after-all-bigness-is-not-the-issue-poor/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [The very first company I started failed with a great bang. The second one failed a little bit less, but still failed. The third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/the-very-first-company-i-started-failed-with-a-great-bang-the-second/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [If following your passion to a place where there's no pain probably isn't the business, I don't think an entrepreneur can sustain in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cook/if-following-your-passion-to-a-place-where-there-s-no-pain-probably/) [Scott Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cook/) > [I will work day and night to avoid failure, but if I can't, I'll pick myself up the next day. The most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-will-work-day-and-night-to-avoid-failure-but-if-i-can-t-i-ll-pick/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [The more entrepreneurs in the world that are getting their ideas financed, the more great companies there are going to be that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-wilson/the-more-entrepreneurs-in-the-world-that-are-getting-their-ideas/) [Fred Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-wilson/) > [Anybody who is an entrepreneur is a person who essentially has impaired judgment. The odds of success are zilch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/anybody-who-is-an-entrepreneur-is-a-person-who-essentially-has/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Faith is the ability to see things that don't yet exist. Faith, though, can turn difficulty into reality, positive reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/faith-is-the-ability-to-see-things-that-don-t-yet-exist-faith-though/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [We have a terror of seeming to exert ourselves, lest it be noticed that we exerted ourselves and did not succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/we-have-a-terror-of-seeming-to-exert-ourselves-lest-it-be-noticed/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [All successful people - not just entrepreneurs - have got things wrong over and over again before finding the right solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/all-successful-people-not-just-entrepreneurs-have-got-things-wrong/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Solve a real problem. You don't start a company because you want to be an entrepreneur or the fame and glory that comes along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-company-because-you-want-to-be/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [To be an entrepreneur, it just takes a lot of persistence, dedication, and drive. No matter what happens, you have to be wiling to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeet-banerjee/to-be-an-entrepreneur-it-just-takes-a-lot-of-persistence-dedication/) [Jeet Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeet-banerjee/) > [I suffer from the delusion that every product of my imagination is not only possible, but always on the cusp of becoming real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-parker/i-suffer-from-the-delusion-that-every-product-of-my-imagination-is/) [Sean Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-parker/) > [You can make money two ways - make more, or spend less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hope-bryant/you-can-make-money-two-ways-make-more-or-spend-less/) [John Hope Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hope-bryant/) [Browse all 2,095 Entrepreneur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Realism is for pessimists. 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