--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be brutally honest about the short term…" description: "\"Be brutally honest about the short term and optimistic and confident about the long term.\" — Reed Hastings" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/reed-hastings-10304_brutally-honest_be-brutally-honest-about-the-short-term_2525340.png" --- # Be brutally honest about the short term and optimistic and… ![“Be brutally honest about the short term and optimistic and confident about the long term.” quote by Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/reed-hastings-10304_brutally-honest_be-brutally-honest-about-the-short-term_2525340.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/reed-hastings-10304_brutally-honest_be-brutally-honest-about-the-short-term_2525340.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/reed-hastings-10304_brutally-honest_be-brutally-honest-about-the-short-term_2525340.png) > “Be brutally honest about the short term and optimistic and confident about the long term.” [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balance realistic short‑term assessments with hopeful long‑term vision to guide decisions. **In simple terms:** Be realistic now, stay hopeful later. Key Takeaway Align present actions with future goals. Themes leadership strategy optimism Mood cautious confident Type advisory motivational When to use this quote - product development - team meetings - investor pitches - personal goal setting Key Concepts risk management future planning confidence Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure short‑term honesty doesn’t demotivate? - What safeguards keep long‑term optimism realistic? A Different Perspective Over‑optimism can blind short‑term risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brutally honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutally-honest/) [Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [Short term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-term/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [I am long term optimistic and short term pessimistic on immigration. Long term, I'm optimistic because there's a lotta bipartisan agreement outside of Washington…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-am-long-term-optimistic-and-short-term-pessimistic-on-immigration/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [“I'm taking it day by day." I liked saying this. It was honest, short, and seemed to satisfy people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-castle/i-m-taking-it-day-by-day-i-liked-saying-this-it-was-honest-short-and/) [Jennifer Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-castle/) > [Remember, Those who have the gift of faith are growth-oriented, goal-oriented, optimistic, and confident. – C. Peter Wagner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-pringle/remember-those-who-have-the-gift-of-faith-are-growth-oriented-goal/) [Phil Pringle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-pringle/) > [Parties always win when they set out a positive and optimistic and confident vision for the future, when they have a broad appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-kendall/parties-always-win-when-they-set-out-a-positive-and-optimistic-and/) [Liz Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-kendall/) > [Your future will always be bright when you stay focused, optimistic and confident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/your-future-will-always-be-bright-when-you-stay-focused-optimistic/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“He gave me a smoldering look.  “You know why.  You keep trying to belittle what we have, but you need to understand that it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/he-gave-me-a-smoldering-look-you-know-why-you-keep-trying-to-belittle/) [R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/) > [I have gotten into a lot of trouble in my life for being brutally honest. Sometimes I put both my feet in my mouth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/i-have-gotten-into-a-lot-of-trouble-in-my-life-for-being-brutally/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [In real life, I'm so brutally honest that it almost works against me sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holland-roden/in-real-life-i-m-so-brutally-honest-that-it-almost-works-against-me/) [Holland Roden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holland-roden/) > [“That's me- brutally honest, only instead of brutality there's smiles!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeph-jacques/that-s-me-brutally-honest-only-instead-of-brutality-there-s-smiles/) [Jeph Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeph-jacques/) > [The song "This Is Not Surreal," was inspired by a painter I love, Frida Kahlo. She really did suffer for her art. She speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindi-ortega/the-song-this-is-not-surreal-was-inspired-by-a-painter-i-love-frida/) [Lindi Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindi-ortega/) > [“Irene closed her book and stared at the older Van Holtz. “I don’t dislike him. But that was recent. I used to not like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-laurenston/irene-closed-her-book-and-stared-at-the-older-van-holtz-i-don-t/) [Shelly Laurenston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-laurenston/) > [I love Kimberly Peirce. Incredibly intense is a good way of describing her. Brutally honest. Really sharp. She's a director for actors. That's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-love-kimberly-peirce-incredibly-intense-is-a-good-way-of-describing/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [I'll answer anything... I'm brutally honest, actually, which gets me in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-ll-answer-anything-i-m-brutally-honest-actually-which-gets-me-in/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [I think that if I'm being brutally honest, I fill my cup up by isolating myself and having solitude. Time to just meditate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doechii/i-think-that-if-i-m-being-brutally-honest-i-fill-my-cup-up-by/) [Doechii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doechii/) ## More by Reed Hastings > [My first company, Pure Software, was exciting and innovative in the first few years and bureaucratic and painful in the last few before it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/my-first-company-pure-software-was-exciting-and-innovative-in-the/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [School districts in the US don't adopt technology very quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/school-districts-in-the-us-don-t-adopt-technology-very-quickly/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Something will eventually replace the Internet. But it's hard to know what and when it will happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/something-will-eventually-replace-the-internet-but-it-s-hard-to-know/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [The Costa Rican government is prioritizing laying fiber optic over paving roads. Costa Rica is trying to become one of the Internet societies. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/the-costa-rican-government-is-prioritizing-laying-fiber-optic-over/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Comparing Apple to Netflix is like comparing apples to oranges, especially if the oranges made so many mistakes that people stopped eating oranges and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/comparing-apple-to-netflix-is-like-comparing-apples-to-oranges/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [I don't know of any Internet service that opens on a regional basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/i-don-t-know-of-any-internet-service-that-opens-on-a-regional-basis/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [So much of the downstream revenue is linked to that initial excitement, to how much revenue is produced in the domestic box office. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/so-much-of-the-downstream-revenue-is-linked-to-that-initial/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [We are seeing the beginning of things. Web 2.0 is broadband. Web 3.0 is 10 gigabits a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/we-are-seeing-the-beginning-of-things-web-2-0-is-broadband-web-3-0-is/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Great leaders, like Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos, also focused on the long term.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/great-leaders-like-steve-jobs-or-jeff-bezos-also-focused-on-the-long/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Do not tolerate brilliant jerks. The cost to teamwork is too high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/do-not-tolerate-brilliant-jerks-the-cost-to-teamwork-is-too-high/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Stone Age. Bronze Age. Iron Age. We define entire epics of humanity by the technology they use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/stone-age-bronze-age-iron-age-we-define-entire-epics-of-humanity-by/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [I think there will be 20 years of evolution from linear broadcast to internet television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/i-think-there-will-be-20-years-of-evolution-from-linear-broadcast-to/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Tomorrow when you come to work, if it doesn't make the customer happy, move the business forward, and save us money - don't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/tomorrow-when-you-come-to-work-if-it-doesn-t-make-the-customer-happy/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [As an entrepreneur you have to feel like you can jump out of an aeroplane because you're confident that you'll catch a bird flying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/as-an-entrepreneur-you-have-to-feel-like-you-can-jump-out-of-an/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [I'm on the Facebook board now. Little did they know that I thought Facebook was really stupid when I first heard about it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/i-m-on-the-facebook-board-now-little-did-they-know-that-i-thought/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) [Explore all 66 Reed Hastings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) ## More Brutally honest quotes > [I think that if I'm being brutally honest, I fill my cup up by isolating myself and having solitude. Time to just meditate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doechii/i-think-that-if-i-m-being-brutally-honest-i-fill-my-cup-up-by/) [Doechii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doechii/) > [I'll answer anything... I'm brutally honest, actually, which gets me in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-ll-answer-anything-i-m-brutally-honest-actually-which-gets-me-in/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [I love Kimberly Peirce. Incredibly intense is a good way of describing her. Brutally honest. Really sharp. She's a director for actors. That's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-love-kimberly-peirce-incredibly-intense-is-a-good-way-of-describing/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [“Irene closed her book and stared at the older Van Holtz. “I don’t dislike him. But that was recent. I used to not like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-laurenston/irene-closed-her-book-and-stared-at-the-older-van-holtz-i-don-t/) [Shelly Laurenston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-laurenston/) > [The song "This Is Not Surreal," was inspired by a painter I love, Frida Kahlo. She really did suffer for her art. She speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindi-ortega/the-song-this-is-not-surreal-was-inspired-by-a-painter-i-love-frida/) [Lindi Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindi-ortega/) > [“That's me- brutally honest, only instead of brutality there's smiles!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeph-jacques/that-s-me-brutally-honest-only-instead-of-brutality-there-s-smiles/) [Jeph Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeph-jacques/) > [In real life, I'm so brutally honest that it almost works against me sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holland-roden/in-real-life-i-m-so-brutally-honest-that-it-almost-works-against-me/) [Holland Roden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holland-roden/) > [I have gotten into a lot of trouble in my life for being brutally honest. Sometimes I put both my feet in my mouth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/i-have-gotten-into-a-lot-of-trouble-in-my-life-for-being-brutally/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [“He gave me a smoldering look.  “You know why.  You keep trying to belittle what we have, but you need to understand that it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/he-gave-me-a-smoldering-look-you-know-why-you-keep-trying-to-belittle/) [R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/) > [Be brutally honest with yourself here. If you are looking for fun times and casual dating, then you are looking for one kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/superman/be-brutally-honest-with-yourself-here-if-you-are-looking-for-fun/) Superman > [“Shelby is brutally honest. That’s why Maravelle likes her. Maravelle is brutally honest too. You can’t have many friends if you act that way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/shelby-is-brutally-honest-that-s-why-maravelle-likes-her-maravelle-is/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“One of the best ways to let Him inside you is to honestly share your feelings with Him. You need to be brutally honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-boone/one-of-the-best-ways-to-let-him-inside-you-is-to-honestly-share-your/) [Linda Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-boone/) > [The dominant male is history. Could you see a male Lady Gaga? The closest we've got is Justin Bieber, who'd be locked up if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-odell/the-dominant-male-is-history-could-you-see-a-male-lady-gaga-the/) [Tom Odell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-odell/) > [There will be that zip-a-dee-doo-dah after the nominee is chosen. I guarantee there will be that enthusiasm. But to be brutally honest, with all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/there-will-be-that-zip-a-dee-doo-dah-after-the-nominee-is-chosen-i/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [I'm not very self aware about my career. I probably should be more so. Just to be brutally honest, it's not like I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-arquette/i-m-not-very-self-aware-about-my-career-i-probably-should-be-more-so/) [David Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-arquette/) [Browse all 111 Brutally honest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutally-honest/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Be brutally honest about the short term and optimistic and confident about the long term.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Reed Hastings" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/be-brutally-honest-about-the-short-term-and-optimistic-and-confident/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brutally honest" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/be-brutally-honest-about-the-short-term-and-optimistic-and-confident/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/reed-hastings-10304_brutally-honest_be-brutally-honest-about-the-short-term_2525340.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/reed-hastings-10304_brutally-honest_be-brutally-honest-about-the-short-term_2525340.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/reed-hastings-10304_brutally-honest_be-brutally-honest-about-the-short-term_2525340.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Be brutally honest about the short term and optimistic and confident about the long term.” — Reed Hastings", "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": "Reed Hastings", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Be brutally honest about the short...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/be-brutally-honest-about-the-short-term-and-optimistic-and-confident/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/be-brutally-honest-about-the-short-term-and-optimistic-and-confident/#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 } } ] } ```