--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one has ever been able to convince me…" description: "\"No one has ever been able to convince me that optimism is not preferable to pessimism.\" — Robert Mueller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/robert-mueller-11191_able_no-one-has-ever-been-able-to-convince-me_2143817.jpg" --- # No one has ever been able to convince me that optimism is… ![“No one has ever been able to convince me that optimism is not preferable to pessimism.” quote by Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/robert-mueller-11191_able_no-one-has-ever-been-able-to-convince-me_2143817.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/robert-mueller-11191_able_no-one-has-ever-been-able-to-convince-me_2143817.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/robert-mueller-11191_able_no-one-has-ever-been-able-to-convince-me_2143817.jpg) > “No one has ever been able to convince me that optimism is not preferable to pessimism.” [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism is generally more beneficial than pessimism. **In simple terms:** Optimism beats pessimism. Key Takeaway Prefer optimism. Themes optimism decision‑making mental health Mood hopeful confident Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal challenges - leadership - policy debates Key Concepts psychology behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - When does optimism become denial? - How to balance optimism with realism? A Different Perspective Optimism can blind to risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Convince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince/) [Convince Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince-optimism-4476424/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Optimism Preferable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism-preferable-4476425/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Preferable Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preferable-pessimism-4476423/) ## Related quotes > [Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/cynicism-masquerades-as-wisdom-but-it-is-the-farthest-thing-from-it/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Utopia is the grotesque en rose, the need to associate happiness - that is, the improbable - with becoming, and to coerce an optimistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/utopia-is-the-grotesque-en-rose-the-need-to-associate-happiness-that/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [An optimist is a person who sees only the lights in the picture, whereas a pessimist sees only the shadows. An idealist, however, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-adler/an-optimist-is-a-person-who-sees-only-the-lights-in-the-picture/) [Felix Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-adler/) > [A pessimist is a man who thinks everybody is as nasty as himself, and hates them for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-pessimist-is-a-man-who-thinks-everybody-is-as-nasty-as-himself-and/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [I'm not pessimistic, because poor people tend to bounce back. We've been through worse than this - working people been through worse than this.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-m-not-pessimistic-because-poor-people-tend-to-bounce-back-we-ve/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The American, by nature, is optimistic. He is experimental, an inventor and a builder who builds best when called upon to build greatly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/the-american-by-nature-is-optimistic-he-is-experimental-an-inventor/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [No, I'm not that optimistic, I'm just less pessimist than most of my peers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/no-i-m-not-that-optimistic-i-m-just-less-pessimist-than-most-of-my/) [Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/) > [“Life has too many disappointments to make room for negativity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/life-has-too-many-disappointments-to-make-room-for-negativity/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/no-pessimist-ever-discovered-the-secrets-of-the-stars/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Pessimists are usually right and optimists are usually wrong but all the great changes have been accomplished by optimists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/pessimists-are-usually-right-and-optimists-are-usually-wrong-but-all/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [I am incrementally a pessimist, but I see the international debate that Edward Snowden has engendered, and I think this is exactly where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-savage/i-am-incrementally-a-pessimist-but-i-see-the-international-debate/) [Adam Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-savage/) > [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/) > [Creeds matter very little... The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-branch-cabell/creeds-matter-very-little-the-optimist-proclaims-that-we-live-in-the/) [James Branch Cabell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-branch-cabell/) > [The pessimistic coach complains about the play. The optimistic coach expects it to change. The realistic coach adjusts what he can control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kessel/the-pessimistic-coach-complains-about-the-play-the-optimistic-coach/) [John Kessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kessel/) > [“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/) ## More by Robert Mueller > [But since September 11, we have made every effort to try to work closely with state and local law enforcement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/but-since-september-11-we-have-made-every-effort-to-try-to-work/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [I didn't know the organization, but the one thing you can say about the FBI, it's tremendously professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-didn-t-know-the-organization-but-the-one-thing-you-can-say-about/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [But we had - I think if you look at law enforcement 10 years ago, if you look at the challenges, the FBI was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/but-we-had-i-think-if-you-look-at-law-enforcement-10-years-ago-if-you/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [I do believe when there are advances in technology that it is important to balance the privacy interests affected with the investigative take that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-do-believe-when-there-are-advances-in-technology-that-it-is/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [For the FBI and for the United States, the war on terrorism is a complex and perplexing issue. It is as complex and perplexing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/for-the-fbi-and-for-the-united-states-the-war-on-terrorism-is-a/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [There'll be differences of opinion in just about every intelligence analysis that you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/there-ll-be-differences-of-opinion-in-just-about-every-intelligence/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [As I said before, there are often disagreements as to what a particular set of facts mean. That is not at all unusual, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/as-i-said-before-there-are-often-disagreements-as-to-what-a/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [We had to address information technology in the ways we had not before and give the agents the tools that they need to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/we-had-to-address-information-technology-in-the-ways-we-had-not/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [In the United States, it's the mandate of the FBI to gather information relating to terrorism, go out and collect it, to do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/in-the-united-states-it-s-the-mandate-of-the-fbi-to-gather/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [In the last 10 years, in narcotics task forces, in a number of violent crime task forces, we've worked very closely together with state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/in-the-last-10-years-in-narcotics-task-forces-in-a-number-of-violent/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [The overwhelming majority of Muslims in this country and overseas are peaceful, law-abiding citizens. However, a small number of Muslims are members of fundamentalist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/the-overwhelming-majority-of-muslims-in-this-country-and-overseas-are/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [So there is a foreign intelligence purpose for every one of our FISA warrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/so-there-is-a-foreign-intelligence-purpose-for-every-one-of-our-fisa/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [The FBI's principal priority right now is protecting the United States against another terrorist attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/the-fbi-s-principal-priority-right-now-is-protecting-the-united/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [I asked a Burmese why women, after centuries of following their men, now walk ahead. He said there were many unexploded land mines since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-asked-a-burmese-why-women-after-centuries-of-following-their-men/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [In the wake of the September 11 attacks, it became clear that the FBI's number one priority must be the prevention of another terrorist attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/in-the-wake-of-the-september-11-attacks-it-became-clear-that-the-fbi/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) [Explore all 61 Robert Mueller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No one has ever been able to convince me that optimism is not preferable to pessimism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Mueller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/no-one-has-ever-been-able-to-convince-me-that-optimism-is-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/no-one-has-ever-been-able-to-convince-me-that-optimism-is-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/robert-mueller-11191_able_no-one-has-ever-been-able-to-convince-me_2143817.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/robert-mueller-11191_able_no-one-has-ever-been-able-to-convince-me_2143817.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/robert-mueller-11191_able_no-one-has-ever-been-able-to-convince-me_2143817.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No one has ever been able to convince me that optimism is not preferable to pessimism.” — Robert Mueller", "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": "Robert Mueller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No one has ever been able...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/no-one-has-ever-been-able-to-convince-me-that-optimism-is-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/no-one-has-ever-been-able-to-convince-me-that-optimism-is-not/#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 } } ] } ```