--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm an optimist. I've always believed the…" description: "\"I'm an optimist. I've always believed the future is going to be better than the past. And I also believe I have a role in that. The great thing about h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/jeffrey-r-immelt-13924_adversity_i-m-an-optimist-i-ve-always-believed-the_2092717.jpg" --- # I'm an optimist. I've always believed the future is going… ![“I'm an optimist. I've always believed the future is going to be better than the past. And I also believe I have a role in that. The great thing about human beings, myself in particular, is that I can change. I can do better. If you can get up every day, stay optimistic, and believe the future is…” quote by Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/jeffrey-r-immelt-13924_adversity_i-m-an-optimist-i-ve-always-believed-the_2092717.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/jeffrey-r-immelt-13924_adversity_i-m-an-optimist-i-ve-always-believed-the_2092717.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/jeffrey-r-immelt-13924_adversity_i-m-an-optimist-i-ve-always-believed-the_2092717.jpg) > “I'm an optimist. I've always believed the future is going to be better than the past. And I also believe I have a role in that. The great thing about human beings, myself in particular, is that I can change. I can do better. If you can get up every day, stay optimistic, and believe the future is better than the past, those few things get you through a lot of tough times.” [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism drives proactive behavior and resilience, empowering individuals to shape a better future through daily effort. **In simple terms:** Optimism fuels action and resilience. Key Takeaway Adopt a hopeful mindset to overcome challenges. Themes optimism resilience personal agency Mood motivational inspirational Type leadership personal development When to use this quote - daily motivation - leadership development - overcoming adversity Key Concepts future orientation self‑efficacy growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can optimism be balanced with realism? - What actions sustain optimism during hardship? A Different Perspective Optimism alone may ignore systemic obstacles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Bright future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bright-future/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Changing the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-the-world/) [Changing your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-your-life/) [Everyday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Hard times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-times/) [Hardship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardship/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Optimist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimist/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [Overcoming adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming-adversity/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Positive change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-change/) [Stay optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-optimistic/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tough times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough-times/) ## Related quotes > [“Do it. Do whatever makes you feel. Always do the things you think you can't do. Trust in the power that rules the universe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-warren/do-it-do-whatever-makes-you-feel-always-do-the-things-you-think-you/) Ali Warren > [In some ways, I am actually quite optimistic - I believe in the possibility of redemption and forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-michaels/in-some-ways-i-am-actually-quite-optimistic-i-believe-in-the/) [Jesse Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-michaels/) > [I've been seeing the change. It's been steady. It's been more controlled than people think. And my own belief is that China knows it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-ve-been-seeing-the-change-it-s-been-steady-it-s-been-more/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Actors have to stay optimistic. The moment we start thinking otherwise, we're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-o-toole/actors-have-to-stay-optimistic-the-moment-we-start-thinking-otherwise/) [Peter O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-toole/) > [Years ago, after I'd answered several questions from a group of teens, one of them asked how I could stay optimistic and keep on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayni-chase/years-ago-after-i-d-answered-several-questions-from-a-group-of-teens/) [Jayni Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayni-chase/) > [I am blood type O-positive, which I remember by staying 'optimistic positive.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-weatherly/i-am-blood-type-o-positive-which-i-remember-by-staying-optimistic/) [Michael Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-weatherly/) > [“when you have setbacks and failures, you can’t overreact to them. You need to step back, analyze them, and learn from them. But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/when-you-have-setbacks-and-failures-you-can-t-overreact-to-them-you/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [I always like to look on the optimistic side of life...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-always-like-to-look-on-the-optimistic-side-of-life/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [“My life has been quite to Journey. Quite Extraordinary, really. Through the Up's & Downs and Switch backs. I've managed to stay Optimistic- with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-nooskey/my-life-has-been-quite-to-journey-quite-extraordinary-really-through/) Susan Nooskey > [I am inspired by the women I meet everywhere I go. They have to work so hard just to make sure their families survive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/i-am-inspired-by-the-women-i-meet-everywhere-i-go-they-have-to-work/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [“Everything's gonna be fine. Stay optimistic. If there's dark clouds coming, they'll leave again. They always do. The world is round. Everything is round.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/everything-s-gonna-be-fine-stay-optimistic-if-there-s-dark-clouds/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [“Life could be such an adventure if you could just manage to stay optimistic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jourdan/life-could-be-such-an-adventure-if-you-could-just-manage-to-stay/) [Carolyn Jourdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jourdan/) > [“I’m in awe of the people who manage their difficult lives with little complaint, those who have suffered more than their fair share of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/i-m-in-awe-of-the-people-who-manage-their-difficult-lives-with-little/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [GRIT is Guts, Resilience, Industriousness and Tenacity. GRIT is the ability to focus, stay determined, stay optimistic in the face of a challenge, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-kaplan-thaler/grit-is-guts-resilience-industriousness-and-tenacity-grit-is-the/) [Linda Kaplan Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-kaplan-thaler/) > [Stay optimistic to the point where people question your sanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-barnett/stay-optimistic-to-the-point-where-people-question-your-sanity/) [Matthew Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-barnett/) ## More by Jeffrey R. Immelt > [I think we should have basically the same tax policy that Germany, Japan, the U.K., everybody else has, which is a tax rate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-we-should-have-basically-the-same-tax-policy-that-germany/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [I think that if you run a big company, you've got to, four or five times a year, just say, 'Hey team, look, here's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-that-if-you-run-a-big-company-you-ve-got-to-four-or-five/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Business leaders should provide expertise in service of our country. My predecessors at GE have done so, as have leaders of many other great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/business-leaders-should-provide-expertise-in-service-of-our-country/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Values can't just be words on a page. To be effective, they must shape action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/values-can-t-just-be-words-on-a-page-to-be-effective-they-must-shape/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Surviving a failure gives you more self-confidence. Failures are great learning tools.. but they must be kept to a minimum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/surviving-a-failure-gives-you-more-self-confidence-failures-are-great/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [It's the sustained ability to change that really counts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/it-s-the-sustained-ability-to-change-that-really-counts/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [GE sells more than 96 percent of its products to the private sector, where America's future must be built. But government can help business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/ge-sells-more-than-96-percent-of-its-products-to-the-private-sector/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [People ought to invest in us because they like our company and the way they run it. We still do quarterly earnings guidance, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/people-ought-to-invest-in-us-because-they-like-our-company-and-the/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Work hard with passion and courage. Life is a marathon of contribution. You really must work hard to accomplish something... Find your passion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/work-hard-with-passion-and-courage-life-is-a-marathon-of-contribution/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Live with passion. Live with purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/live-with-passion-live-with-purpose/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [I do business in 170 countries; none of them is perfect. There is not even one country that I think of, and I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-do-business-in-170-countries-none-of-them-is-perfect-there-is-not/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [I think there's a need for somewhat of a mindset change. We need to have a consistent external focus. We've always had the research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-there-s-a-need-for-somewhat-of-a-mindset-change-we-need-to/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Managing innovation better may be the only way out of the abyss called commodity hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/managing-innovation-better-may-be-the-only-way-out-of-the-abyss/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [You can't delegate growth or customer satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/you-can-t-delegate-growth-or-customer-satisfaction/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [I was never afraid of failure. I realized that I was responsible for my own success and that every day offers a new beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-was-never-afraid-of-failure-i-realized-that-i-was-responsible-for/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) [Explore all 48 Jeffrey R. Immelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) James Buckham Kennedy > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) S.E. SEVER > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm an optimist. I've always believed the future is going to be better than the past. And I also believe I have a role in that. The great thing about human beings, myself in particular, is that I can change. I can do better. 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