--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to be optimistic in order to…" description: "\"You have to be optimistic in order to continue to move forward.\" — John Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/john-lewis-1310_continue_you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to-co_2647890.jpg" --- # You have to be optimistic in order to continue to move… ![“You have to be optimistic in order to continue to move forward.” quote by John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/john-lewis-1310_continue_you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to-co_2647890.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/john-lewis-1310_continue_you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to-co_2647890.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/john-lewis-1310_continue_you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to-co_2647890.jpg) > “You have to be optimistic in order to continue to move forward.” [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism fuels perseverance, enabling ongoing progress despite obstacles. **In simple terms:** Optimism helps you keep moving forward. Key Takeaway Cultivate optimism to sustain momentum. Themes optimism perseverance progress resilience Mood hopeful determined Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal setbacks - activism - career challenges - health recovery Key Concepts psychology motivation social change Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain optimism in hardship? - What actions support your hopeful outlook? A Different Perspective Optimism alone may not solve systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Move forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/move-forward/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) ## Related quotes > [But you have to have hope. You have to be optimistic in order to continue to move forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/but-you-have-to-have-hope-you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [If we're going to continue to move forward as a nation, we can't allow concern about discomfort to displace knowledge, truth, or history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ketanji-brown-jackson/if-we-re-going-to-continue-to-move-forward-as-a-nation-we-can-t-allow/) [Ketanji Brown Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ketanji-brown-jackson/) > [ We're going to continue to move forward and fight. I just think that, unfortunately, the president-elect \[Donald Trump\] has chosen to address every issue. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/we-re-going-to-continue-to-move-forward-and-fight-i-just-think-that/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [We must continue to go forward as one people, as brothers and sisters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/we-must-continue-to-go-forward-as-one-people-as-brothers-and-sisters/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [You'd like to transition with continuity, have people in your own organization rise up and continue forward, whether in coaching or personnel or players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-irsay/you-d-like-to-transition-with-continuity-have-people-in-your-own/) [Jim Irsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-irsay/) > [I think that what we want to do as we continue to move forward is look at the various points that have been made.We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/i-think-that-what-we-want-to-do-as-we-continue-to-move-forward-is/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [That's why I won't give up! I'll continue to move forward because I believe!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuki-takaya/that-s-why-i-won-t-give-up-i-ll-continue-to-move-forward-because-i/) [Natsuki Takaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuki-takaya/) > [We have not recovered all that we lost in the Bush recession. That's why we need to continue to move forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-have-not-recovered-all-that-we-lost-in-the-bush-recession-that-s/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let's continue to move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-layton/remember-our-proud-history-of-social-justice-universal-health-care/) [Jack Layton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-layton/) > [ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YESTERDAY ARE BUT FLICKERS IN ONE'S MIND UNABLE TO COMPREHEND WHAT HAS YET TO BE DEFINED. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND WILLINGNESS TO…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-c-upton/all-that-s-left-of-yesterday-are-but-flickers-in-one-s-mind-unable-to/) Mary C Upton > [I've been through hell and back. I have, to be honest, and still I'm able to do what I do and nothing can stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-ve-been-through-hell-and-back-i-have-to-be-honest-and-still-i-m/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [The thing is about life is you just got to continue in it, never give up it may get hard but keep on keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/telisa-mclaughlin/the-thing-is-about-life-is-you-just-got-to-continue-in-it-never-give/) [Telisa McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/telisa-mclaughlin/) > [“Trust what you love, continue to move forward in that direction, and you will end up where you truly hope to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/trust-what-you-love-continue-to-move-forward-in-that-direction-and/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [Great women, in partnership with great men, will continue to take us forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-edelman/great-women-in-partnership-with-great-men-will-continue-to-take-us/) [Richard Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-edelman/) > [Paint yourself into a corner so that you don't have any other option but to continue forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-braunohler/paint-yourself-into-a-corner-so-that-you-don-t-have-any-other-option/) [Kurt Braunohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-braunohler/) ## More by John Lewis > [ I happen to believe that this election year \[2016\] is...one of the most important elections that we're going to face in a very long… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-happen-to-believe-that-this-election-year-2016-is-one-of-the-most/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [If you're not hopeful and optimistic, then you just give up. You have to take that long hard look and just believe that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/if-you-re-not-hopeful-and-optimistic-then-you-just-give-up-you-have/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The reward for playing jazz is playing jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-reward-for-playing-jazz-is-playing-jazz/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [I am very, very hopeful about the American South - I believe that we will lead America to what Dr. King called 'the beloved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-am-very-very-hopeful-about-the-american-south-i-believe-that-we/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ \[Donald Trump's inauguration\] will be the first one that I miss since I've been in Congress. You cannot be at home with something that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-s-inauguration-will-be-the-first-one-that-i-miss-since-i/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [To question the legitimacy of the next United States president, you know, and you're worried about a tweet that says, hey, why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/to-question-the-legitimacy-of-the-next-united-states-president-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [We are tired of being beaten by policemen. We are tired of seeing our people locked up in jails over and over again. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/we-are-tired-of-being-beaten-by-policemen-we-are-tired-of-seeing-our/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Now we have black and white elected officials working together. Today, we have gone beyond just passing laws. Now we have to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/now-we-have-black-and-white-elected-officials-working-together-today/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [“For me, the nomination of Barack Obama as a candidate for president and his inauguration in Washington represents a brief glimpse at the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/for-me-the-nomination-of-barack-obama-as-a-candidate-for-president/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Too many people struggled, suffered, and died to make it possible for every American to exercise their right to vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/too-many-people-struggled-suffered-and-died-to-make-it-possible-for/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The vote is precious. It's almost sacred, so go out and vote like you never voted before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-vote-is-precious-it-s-almost-sacred-so-go-out-and-vote-like-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [My position is very, very simple. That I fought too long and too hard against discrimination based on race and color, not to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/my-position-is-very-very-simple-that-i-fought-too-long-and-too-hard/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Many of us in Nashville accepted nonviolence as a way of life, a way of living, not simply as a technique or a tactic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/many-of-us-in-nashville-accepted-nonviolence-as-a-way-of-life-a-way/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Right now, what my job is - pardon me? Those are just words. Right now, what my - my job is right now going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/right-now-what-my-job-is-pardon-me-those-are-just-words-right-now/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ Donald Trump has made it clear that certainly over the last few years that President \[Barack\] Obama was born in Hawaii. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-has-made-it-clear-that-certainly-over-the-last-few-years/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) [Explore all 258 John Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## More Continue quotes > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [I'm very proud of some of the stories I've been given thanks to the team at 'Emmerdale,' they've been great over the years so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-fletcher/i-m-very-proud-of-some-of-the-stories-i-ve-been-given-thanks-to-the/) [Kelvin Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-fletcher/) > [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [Trends that can't continue, won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-stein/trends-that-can-t-continue-won-t/) [Herbert Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-stein/) > [Though my grandmother had picked up modern ideas in America, she still had some conflicting 19th-century Irish notions. She believed that daughters, educated though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-mahoney/though-my-grandmother-had-picked-up-modern-ideas-in-america-she-still/) [Rosemary Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-mahoney/) > [“...continue on the right path. You have potential...Don't give up. Don't let yourself get down and quit studying or fighting for what you want.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabela-pamelli-martins/continue-on-the-right-path-you-have-potential-don-t-give-up-don-t-let/) Isabela Pamelli Martins > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [Push yourself every single day to continue to work at yourself. And I feel like that's the reason why I made it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-scherzer/push-yourself-every-single-day-to-continue-to-work-at-yourself-and-i/) [Max Scherzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-scherzer/) > [Throughout my journey, my mother has been my biggest inspiration and will continue to be in my future endeavours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harnaaz-sandhu/throughout-my-journey-my-mother-has-been-my-biggest-inspiration-and/) [Harnaaz Sandhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harnaaz-sandhu/) > [I've had a long career and I want to continue to have a long career. The way to do that is not to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/i-ve-had-a-long-career-and-i-want-to-continue-to-have-a-long-career/) [Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/) > [I'll just continue doing what I'm doing until I'm told otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-page/i-ll-just-continue-doing-what-i-m-doing-until-i-m-told-otherwise/) [Rob Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-page/) > [“Continue with whatever it is that you have been doing, except for attachment-abhorrence. If ‘we’ stay in our state of Pure Soul, attachment-abhorrence will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/continue-with-whatever-it-is-that-you-have-been-doing-except-for/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Financial independence could be one of the factors, but most 65 plus artistes in our industry wish to continue working for the passion they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashok-saraf/financial-independence-could-be-one-of-the-factors-but-most-65-plus/) [Ashok Saraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashok-saraf/) > [“This is how they are able to continue and endure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/this-is-how-they-are-able-to-continue-and-endure/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [Because you continue to inhabit and believe your metaphors, you cannot see what is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/because-you-continue-to-inhabit-and-believe-your-metaphors-you-cannot/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) Browse all 2,414 Continue quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have to be optimistic in order to continue to move forward.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Lewis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to-continue-to-move-forward/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Continue" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to-continue-to-move-forward/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/john-lewis-1310_continue_you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to-co_2647890.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/john-lewis-1310_continue_you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to-co_2647890.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/john-lewis-1310_continue_you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to-co_2647890.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You have to be optimistic in order to continue to move forward.” — John Lewis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Lewis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You have to be optimistic in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to-continue-to-move-forward/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/you-have-to-be-optimistic-in-order-to-continue-to-move-forward/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```