--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes people ask me, 'Are you an…" description: "\"Sometimes people ask me, 'Are you an optimist or a pessimist?' It doesn't matter. Whether I have a future or not is for me to decide.\" — Raoul Peck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/raoul-peck-8162_future_sometimes-people-ask-me-are-you-an-optim_594346.jpg" --- # Sometimes people ask me, 'Are you an optimist or a… ![“Sometimes people ask me, 'Are you an optimist or a pessimist?' It doesn't matter. Whether I have a future or not is for me to decide.” quote by Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/raoul-peck-8162_future_sometimes-people-ask-me-are-you-an-optim_594346.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/raoul-peck-8162_future_sometimes-people-ask-me-are-you-an-optim_594346.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/raoul-peck-8162_future_sometimes-people-ask-me-are-you-an-optim_594346.jpg) > “Sometimes people ask me, 'Are you an optimist or a pessimist?' It doesn't matter. Whether I have a future or not is for me to decide.” [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He dismisses the label of optimist or pessimist, emphasizing personal agency over destiny. **In simple terms:** Labels don't matter; you decide your future. Key Takeaway Take control of your own outlook. Themes personal agency optimism pessimism self‑determination Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - mental health - goal setting - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism psychology empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How does personal choice shape your path? - What limits do you face in deciding your future? A Different Perspective May ignore external constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Optimist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimist/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Pessimist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimist/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“You face the reality, whether it’s hopeful or hopeless. What’s your alternative? To lie down and die? Sometimes people ask me, are you an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/you-face-the-reality-whether-it-s-hopeful-or-hopeless-what-s-your-2/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [“The optimist and the pessimist both die in the end, but each lives is life in a completely different way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-optimist-and-the-pessimist-both-die-in-the-end-but-each-lives-is/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I am glad I am an optimist. The pessimist is half-licked before he starts. The optimist has won half the battle, the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-buckner/i-am-glad-i-am-an-optimist-the-pessimist-is-half-licked-before-he/) Thomas Buckner > [A pessimist doesn't see the sunset outside, he sees the dirt on the window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/a-pessimist-doesn-t-see-the-sunset-outside-he-sees-the-dirt-on-the/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“Unsure of what I was. An optimist? A pessimist? Neither. A fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/unsure-of-what-i-was-an-optimist-a-pessimist-neither-a-fool/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [It is largely because the free-thinkers, as a school, have hardly made up their minds whether they want to be more optimist or more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-largely-because-the-free-thinkers-as-a-school-have-hardly-made/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dear optimist, pessimist, and realist--while you guys were busy arguing about the glass of wine, I drank it! Sincerely, the opportunist!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-greiner/dear-optimist-pessimist-and-realist-while-you-guys-were-busy-arguing-2/) [Lori Greiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-greiner/) > [There are some harsh realities about this business, and they've been beaten into my psyche. But I'm more of an optimist than a pessimist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lauer/there-are-some-harsh-realities-about-this-business-and-they-ve-been/) [Matt Lauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lauer/) > [Always borrow money from a pessimist, he doesn't expect to be paid back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nateman/always-borrow-money-from-a-pessimist-he-doesn-t-expect-to-be-paid-back/) [Nateman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nateman/) > [“I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist,” Lesslie Newbigin once said. “Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-chaddick/i-am-neither-an-optimist-nor-a-pessimist-lesslie-newbigin-once-said/) [Tim Chaddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-chaddick/) > [I'm neither an optimist nor a pessimist. I am a dyed-in-the-woo l possibilist! By this, I mean with an eco-mind, we see that everything's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-moore-lapp/i-m-neither-an-optimist-nor-a-pessimist-i-am-a-dyed-in-the-woo-l/) [Frances Moore Lappé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-moore-lapp/) > [I am neither an optimist nor pessimist, but a possibilist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lerner/i-am-neither-an-optimist-nor-pessimist-but-a-possibilist/) [Max Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lerner/) > [The difference between an optimist and a pessimist? An optimist laughs to forget, but a pessimist forgets to laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bodett/the-difference-between-an-optimist-and-a-pessimist-an-optimist-laughs/) [Tom Bodett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bodett/) > [I asked her, "Are you an optimist or a pessimist?" She looked at her watch and said, "I'm optimistic." "Then I have some bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-asked-her-are-you-an-optimist-or-a-pessimist-she-looked-at-her/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/i-am-neither-an-optimist-nor-a-pessimist-jesus-christ-is-risen-from/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) ## More by Raoul Peck > [America has been living on the back of the whole world! If you take how much energy we consume, like, 20 percent of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/america-has-been-living-on-the-back-of-the-whole-world-if-you-take/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [You cannot be responsible for Jim Crow. You can not be responsible for racism. This is much more a problem for the person exercising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/you-cannot-be-responsible-for-jim-crow-you-can-not-be-responsible-for/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [If you asked me today if there's a piece that I would do differently - there's nothing. Regret happens with all my films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/if-you-asked-me-today-if-there-s-a-piece-that-i-would-do-differently/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [ Your tweet is as important as if you would have written a Ph.D. \[dissertation\] on the subject. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/your-tweet-is-as-important-as-if-you-would-have-written-a-ph-d/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [James Baldwin is one of the greatest, North American writers of the second half of the Twentieth Century. A prolific writer and a brilliant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/james-baldwin-is-one-of-the-greatest-north-american-writers-of-the/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [When I left Haiti, I was eight. I went to the Congo where my father was working. The only images that I had were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/when-i-left-haiti-i-was-eight-i-went-to-the-congo-where-my-father-was/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [I have always tried to put content in my work. It is a consistent challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/i-have-always-tried-to-put-content-in-my-work-it-is-a-consistent/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [The system gives you two minutes to phrase a whole history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/the-system-gives-you-two-minutes-to-phrase-a-whole-history/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [ Over the years, he disappeared - like a lot of our leaders disappear. \[James Baldwin\] was not assassinated, but somehow he went through those… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/over-the-years-he-disappeared-like-a-lot-of-our-leaders-disappear/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [You face the reality, whether it's hopeful or hopeless. What's your alternative? To lie down and die?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/you-face-the-reality-whether-it-s-hopeful-or-hopeless-what-s-your/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [Just try to be yourself and resist complacency and ignorance. All you can do is work, work; work and be disciplined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/just-try-to-be-yourself-and-resist-complacency-and-ignorance-all-you/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [You're telling me Beyonce is a revolutionary? Thirty years ago, you had those guys who raised their fists at the Olympic games, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/you-re-telling-me-beyonce-is-a-revolutionary-thirty-years-ago-you-had/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [Film is carrying a lot of ideology. It's carrying an image. It's forging an image not only of the rest of the world, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/film-is-carrying-a-lot-of-ideology-it-s-carrying-an-image-it-s/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [International aid as a means of development is a major failure, and not just in Haiti.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/international-aid-as-a-means-of-development-is-a-major-failure-and/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [I studied economics. I studied industrial engineering. It wasn't until later, when I was around 26, that I really decided to go to film school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/i-studied-economics-i-studied-industrial-engineering-it-wasn-t-until/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) [Explore all 83 Raoul Peck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) ## More Future quotes > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/) [Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [“We have no idea, now, of who or what the inhabitants of our future might be. In that sense, we have no future. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/we-have-no-idea-now-of-who-or-what-the-inhabitants-of-our-future/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [Football is my passion, and who knows where I will play in the future - you cannot foresee that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edinson-cavani/football-is-my-passion-and-who-knows-where-i-will-play-in-the-future/) [Edinson Cavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edinson-cavani/) > [When I was 17, I broke up with my future wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-allen/when-i-was-17-i-broke-up-with-my-future-wife/) [Kris Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-allen/) > [I think everybody in the future has stopped talking to each other and we all just use emojis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/i-think-everybody-in-the-future-has-stopped-talking-to-each-other-and/) [Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/) > [When you continue to dwell on the past, there's no chance for a future. History repeats itself, thus, it's ok to LOOK back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-continue-to-dwell-on-the-past-there-s-no-chance-for-a-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [Starting a new job can be nerve-racking , but it's also exciting. You're embarking on a new future, positioning yourself to write a fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/starting-a-new-job-can-be-nerve-racking-but-it-s-also-exciting-you-re/) [Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/) [Browse all 12,349 Future quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes people ask me, 'Are you an optimist or a pessimist?' It doesn't matter. 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